A Vampire Slayer in Middle Earth
by Luna del Cielo
Summary: LOTR/BTVS:X-over. Five years after Sunnydale, one Potential comes into her own. The Slayer Sofia ends up in Middle-Earth and she, Vi, & Dawn join forces with the Elves to battle an Ancient Evil; not to mention she must battle her personal demons as well.
1. Reflecting on the Past

_*********__**This is my first fanfic. Please R&R! (I'll give you cookies!)*******_

**Story Summary:**

Sofia Ramirez has been a Vampire Slayer since Willow's spell transformed all the Potential Slayers five years ago. At Cleveland's Hellmouth she and Vi fight a fell beast but when the malicious creature goes through a portal Sofia goes with it. Landing in Middle Earth she is found by the Rangers who are accompanied by Arwen and the Sons of Elrond on a journey to Lothlórien. They discover a devious plan by the Dark Lord Sauron to resurrect his ancient minion, Thuringwethil, who was the First Vampire. Now it is up to Sofia and her new comrades to prevent that from happening.

Which is more complicated than it should be; thanks to a love affair with Elladan the elf, an evil sorcerer who stole the body of her former husband, interfering Valar, and more drama than a telenovela…

**Crossover Set-Up:**

**BTVS:** I'm taking things straight from Season 7 finale and am not including the comic book events of Season 8. HOWEVER, some events have been inspired by the comic book (as in slayers being trained in England) and by Nancy Holder's Novel 'Queen of the Slayers'

**LOTR:** Most events take place in Middle Earth and I am going to try my best to stick close to Tolkien's version (regarding character personality, speech, and events) but I'm also just going with the flow, so no drinkin the Haterade , events take place prior to the War of the Ring, maybe 10 years or so.

**Characters:**

**OC**: Sofia Ramirez + family (mama, papi, Ramon, David y mas), Amras, Mavlar, Erik Adoyo, Damian, Ariellan, James the Master Vampire, Ivanka, Veronica, & Trinity

**BTVS**: Vi, Dawn Summers, Faith, Willow Rosenberg, Robin Wood, Caridad, Chao-Ahn; references to Buffy, Xander, Andrew, Giles, Angel

**LOTR:** Aragorn, Elladan, Elrohir, Arwen, Haldir, Rumil, Orophin, Gandalf, Galadriel, Celeborn,Irmo/Lórien, Vairë, Námo/Mandos, Kementári /Yavanna, Sauron, Thuringwethil

**Genres:** Action/Adventure, Romance, Humor, Friendship, Drama

**Warnings:** Torture (1-2 chapters), Violence, Naughty swear words,

***~*~*DISCLAIMER*~*~*** While many a moon I may have wished it, I am sadly not amazing enough to have created anything in the world of Buffy or Lord of the Rings. JOSS WHEDON (+20th Century Fox & his crew) and JOHN RONALD REUEL TOLKIEN are GODS AMONGST MEN and obviously I don't own any of their characters or universe. They are owned & copyrighted; you know the drill. Pero, my OCs are mine.

*~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~**~*~*

Notes:

Since this is my first fic, I would *REALLY* LOVE any reviews. Please let me know what you are thinking; I feel like people do not review enough on this site… so comments are much appreciated! :)

Also, the first few chapters allow readers to get to know Sofia. After that, all hell breaks lose!

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**Chapter One: Reflecting on the Past**

My professor's words were haunting my mind. How high blood pressure leads to arteries and stuff tightening, leaving the body prone to heart attacks or other badness. Of course, as I tried to calm my nerves with this reminder I could feel myself becoming angrier. Fuck. What was it Giles said? That a true warrior can calm their head as well as they can fight in battle? Hmmmph. Obviously Giles never had to deal with rush hour in Cleveland. Besides, shouldn't a slayer's body protect itself from high blood pressure and crazy capillaries?

Ok. Breathe. Good. That was a nice deep breath. Not bad for someone stuck on the highway when all they want to do is run home and be surrounded by family. Hmmm… Actually, I probably could run home faster than it would take to navigate this sea of cars. Ever since my powers awakened I've been able to run pretty damn fast. I pondered on this for a second, but I realized I should probably arrive in a normal fashion. I've been trying to keep my wackiness on the DL for a while now to the fam and shouldn't blow it now, of all times.

This would be the first time I've seen my family in over a year, just in time for mom's birthday. It's amazing- All my life I wanted to leave the madhouse known as my home and travel the world. Now that my life consists of living five time zones away in England and traveling to battle the forces of darkness worldwide, I often wish I could be able to come home more frequently.

With nothing to stare at but the brightly colored metallic husks on the road, I reflected on my life. Five years ago my life changed drastically on a rather normal May afternoon. I was 17 and eagerly anticipating graduation. My friends, Serena, Isabella, and I were just ending our evening at the touristically typical, but nonetheless beloved Hard Rock Café. With graduation looming before us, it seemed like the perfect place to dine and talk about how awesome our lives would be if we were rock stars or married Romeo from our beloved bachata group Aventura*.

Of course it's just our luck that reality set in when my Ford Tempo refused to start. I went back to open the trunk to retrieve some jumper cables where the strangest sensation came over me. I'll never forget that feeling but it's almost impossible to describe. Warmth spread over me, like diving into a heated pool. The world seemed sharper somehow, like I was seeing it for the first time.

The sensations shocked me until Isabella screamed at me "Oye, I popped the trunk! Apurate por favor porque my mama's gonna be pissed if I don't get home on time". Shaking myself slightly I pulled at the trunk, but it didn't budge. I relayed the information to Isabella and she informed me that when her trunk does that all she needs to do is hit it a couple times to come loose.

So I did. I hit it once, like a normal person hits a car in frustration. Unlike a normal person, I put a 5-inch dent in it so smoothly that my beautiful baby had my knuckle indentations. I screamed and looked down, expecting to see my hand a broken bloody mess.

But it wasn't. It sure as hell felt sore and bruises were beginning to travel across my hand, but I failed to see broken bones or blood. With my scream of course both the girls came running over from previously talking on their cell phones about ten feet away. Their eyes darted frantically as they asked me what was wrong. Then Isabella shouted about how some pendejo dented my fucking trunk. I was so damn shocked and disturbed that I just nodded and dealt with her conclusion.

A couple weeks passed and I began to notice the changes. Sure, I played varsity softball but I was never the greatest when it came to strength or agility. Events occurred and I realized I had changed. In Phys Ed during a volleyball game I spiked a ball only to accidentally break the teacher's nose. During a softball game I was playing right field and jumped abnormally high (enough so to make the crowd go 'Whoa!') to catch a ball. While I loved salsa, I was never good with the feet coordination and twirling part, but at prom I was the Queen Bee of the dance floor.

Needless to say part of me was fucking freaking out. The other part of me was feeling like a badass and yearned to buy a leather jacket and a motorcycle.

Soon arrived the big revelation of my life. There I was walking back from the park with this skinny redhead came out of nowhere and asked me if I had been going through changes. Thinking she was one of those damn religious freaks I told her I heard the puberty talk in 5th grade and thank you very much, but please peace the fuck out. The nice thing with these newfound abilities had me ready to shit talk anyone, knowing I could probably kick their ass. She said my name and I turned around ready to do Xena move because there was no way she should know my name, unless she was a creeper.

But when I turned around to look at her face her eyes captured me. It was like riding a roller coaster for the first time. I slid down the summit and had no idea where I was or when the ride was going to stop. A millennia seemed to pass as I fell deeply into her eyes that seemed to hold the world. Flickers of celestial bodies, endless oceans, and brown earth passed by as I stared deeper. 'Sofia, know that I come her in peace. My name is Willow and I understand that you have developed new powers. Your mind doesn't understand this new power and that is why I am here. Sofia, you are a vampire slayer.'

You know how in movies something shocking happens that makes the characters go 'Whoooooa' and a record scratches to a stop? At that moment I could have sworn I heard that.

Willow and I sat at a park bench for a couple hours talking. I didn't _want_ to believe her because her because her story sounded so fucking insane. Her best friend Buffy, who sounded more like a Hugh Hefner girlfriend than a terror to denizens of the night, was a vampire slayer. Essentially Willow was a witch who performed a spell to put the essence of the slayer into any young girl that could be a vampire slayer and –lucky me- I was one of them along with hundreds of others. Oh, and just what was a vampire slayer? Willow explained that it is a girl who battles vampires, demons, and anything else evil enough to harm humankind.

It's probably unwarranted to say that everything she said freaked me out to the extreme. With her freakily magical eyes and uncanny ability to speak in my mind, I knew she spoke truthfully. To be honest, there was just something so wholesome and good about her that made her appear so angelic there was no way I could fault her words. Not to mention, I was sure it wasn't my Wheaties that were making me stronger and faster.

A loud honking yanked me out of my reverie as I realized it was now _my_ fault cars were backed up. I pressed the gas pedal and rode off home

*Aventura: Redicously amazing. You Tube them and you'll be confessing your love quickly.

**Oye (Spanish)- Hey

*** Apurate por favor porque (Spanish)- Hurry up please because

****Pendejo (Spanish)- Slang for asshole


	2. Beats paying 1050 for a movie ticket

**Chapter 2 **Beats paying $10.50 for a movie ticket.

There is nothing like being amongst familia. I sat on my dad's worn leather recliner observing my jubilant family members. The party for my mama was in full swing. Every single freaking one of our family members were here singing, drinking, and dancing throughout our backyard. My mom and dad were competing against my tias and tios for salsa champions of the world. Ramon, my 16-year old brother, and David, my 20-year old brother, were kicking a soccer ball with some of our cousins. My grandma was exuberantly singing along to the old Marc Antony song, proving that once again that woman can pound more drinks than your typical frat boy. Of course, it probably didn't help that the rest of my aunts and uncles were cheering her on. All in all it felt *good* to be basking in the atmosphere of love and family.

Or so I thought. "Ouch," I exclaimed. I rubbed my head gingerly where that damn soccer ball hit it, effectively ceasing my feelings of love towards at least one family member. Turning towards my brother I saw him bending over laughing with the rest of the players. "Seriously Ramon! Watch where you kick the pinche ball!"

Not even missing a beat on the dance floor, my mama shouted at me. "Carino! Watch your mouth around your little cousins!"

I rolled my eyes at her. "Mom! My little cousins are all at least 15 years-old! I think they've head pin-"

My tigress of a mother wasn't relenting so easily and quickly interrupted me. "Hey! It's my birthday so you must do as I say. So now I say to come here and dance with me!" Her mouth was set in a serious line to match her demanding tone, but her eyes twinkled mischievously. I relented and we fell into a fevered pace to Elvis Crespo's 'Suavamente'. Luckily for me, my slayer abilities made me an amazing dancer. Prior to the change, I doubt that I would have been able to go head to head with my mama.

*******************************

The night passed quickly. By 1am most of my family rested their drink-riddled bodies into coveted lawn chairs or bare spots in the grass that were not saturated with spilled drink. One thing is for sure, our family sure as hell knows how to celebrate occasions.

"Sooo, Sofia you've been quiet all night! Don't tell us you miss your fancy London school already!" I peer sleepily at my Tia Alicia who somehow made it almost the whole night without prying. Her dark curls shone in the moonlight and her eyes eagerly searched my face, just waiting for a facial expression to break-down and translate to my other aunts.

"No, of course not Tia Alicia! You know there is no better place than being amongst familia." My tone was sincere and I hope she heard that in my statement.

I am the first and only person from the family to leave our enclosure on the West side of Cleveland and it pained my family deeply. Sometimes it breaks my heart because I do not want them to feel like unimportant figures in my life and that I left only because I had to. Once I learned my true identity from Willow she bade me to travel to England with her to receive training with the others . After a long process between me, her, and Giles I rearranged my plans to attend Cleveland State University to instead attend Oxford, where somehow Giles took care of my tuition and late enrollment. I left within a month to begin slayer training and my studies began that fall. Since then, I have bagged my share of baddies in England and beyond. Unfortunately, my family did not know any of this and often came to the conclusion I chose to travel out of want rather than need and that visiting them is not a high priority.

"Good mija, I am glad to hear of it! Now be a good niece and get me some more rum, ay?" Winking at me, she quickly finished the rest of her rum and coke. I chuckled at her comment. It seems that no matter how long I've been gone, some things never change.

*********************************************************

(The next evening)

Rellenos de papas. Emapnadas. Arroz. MMM… My mother had made the most exquisite meal for our family. Seated at the dining room table were my parents, Ramon, David, and I. Mama loved to baby her dearest children and in honor of my visit she made all my favorite dishes. Every delectable bite was cherished because there is nothing like my mother's cooking, especially in England. Like most other tight-knit families, conversation flowed freely. But during desert 'Toma' by Pitbull creeped into the air.

"Oye Loca! Ven pa'ca! Si tu quiere' que te coma toda,  
Si tu quiere' que te coma toda…"

My mama looked at me sharply. "Sofia Isabella Ramirez! You know better than to leave your cell phone turned on during dinner!" I cringed internally. Mama had always stressed the importance of family meals and hated phone calls during dinner. Unbeknownst to her, that ringer indicated a Scooby was calling me and I needed to answer.

"Lo siento mama, papa! This is an extremely important call and I must answer it. Perdoname, por favor". I eyed her apologetically and quickly rushed into the other room.

David called after me. "Sofia, you got a boy or something? If you miss the call, its not the end of the world!" My whole family was in an uproar about his joke, likely remembering my high school years when I was boy-crazy to the extreme. What they did not understand was in this case, the phone call could indeed indicate the end of the world.

I picked up my cell and winced when I saw the caller ID. Willow. It must be important for her to call me. Dammit. I have been home only two full days and already they are calling me. When the hell are the forces of darkness going to take a break??? Sometimes I wish the world did not have cell phones so I could avoid being in touch like this. Except, I guess Willow would pull some voodoo on me and start sending messages telepathically. That thought made me groan out loud as I answered the call

"Hey Willow…What's the word?"

The voice on the other end was strained. "Sofia thank God I got to you. Andrew has been going through some of Giles' books-"

I laughed wickedly. "Better make sure he's not looking at the ones displaying naked drawings of vampires or demons!" Andrew was a pretty socially inept dude and easy to make fun of. However, he also out a lot of effort into the cause and has kind of came into his own as a Watcher after training with Giles.

"You know, Xander only caught him doing that one time and it was a while ago." Even though she was thousands of miles away, I could have sworn her eyes were rolling as she laughed. "Anyways, big news. Looks like that the mystical forces surrounding the Cleveland Hellmouth are opening up some dimensional portal tonight. Should be tonight anyways… Or in the year 2066. We're not quite sure…"

I sighed heavily. It was extremely frustrating to deal with prophecies and magic. More than once I had wasted my time waiting for portals or rituals that never arrived. "Hey now Ms. Slayer, I'd like to see you hit the books once in a while", she retorted with a bite to her words.

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry! You know I'm a bit to much like Buffy. Boo reading, yay killing."

Willow used her 'frustrated' voice. "Hmmmph. Now, if you don't mind…"

"Please, go ahead."

"There's a portal opening up tonight. Potential big bad. I need you to meet up with the Cleveland slayer contact to help out." She gave me the directions and wished me luck. Meanwhile, I contemplated a good excuse to give my family and prepared for another typical night slayer Saturday night of blood and gore.

I suppose it beats paying $10.50 for a movie ticket.


	3. Definitely NOT Puff the Magic Dragon

**CHAPTER 3- Definitely NOT Puff the Magic Dragon**

It was a humid summer night and I was wearing a pair of worn jeans and a black tank top that, as usual, was accompanied by my trusty gold cross necklace. Regardless of the temperature or my jeans, I shivered. Twenty feet in front of me a portal started opening. Tendrils of mist curled around it as I waited for whatever spawn the Hellmouth was going to throw at us. Glancing to my left I saw Vi wearing probably the same "Oh F.U.C.K. expression that I bet I was. She was similarly clad, with the exception of a beret, and we both were wielding weapons. Our pleasure chest of weapons was in the car, but we were both prepared with stakes and swords. I had my fam waiting on me and she had her boyfriend, so we were both ready for this to be dirty and quick.

As luck would have it, the light show seemed to be never-ending. I muttered, "yeah, yeah, yeah. You got lights and mist, you bloody portal. Why don't you open up the package so we can get this done with?" I mentally chastised myself for using the word bloody. I picked it up years ago, along with tons of other British slang, and cannot seem to shake it loose.

Eying the portal wearily, Vi commented dryly, "Please do not taunt the portal Sofia."

I winked at her. "Of course," I whispered in a saccharine voice. Vi was one of my favorite co-Slayers. Our first encounter occurred at a sparring match during training. It was the first week I was there and Buffy began introducing us to a new fighting style and I felt completely overwhelmed. I hate admitting a weakness, but I spent the night after that training sobbing in the garden. England was rainy, being a Slayer scared the hell out of me, and I missed my family more than I ever imagined. Sweet Vi found me and consoled me. One of the Potentials who had fought against the Turok-Hans in the Sunnydale Battle, the strength of her fighting skills was as great as her kindness. She took me under her wing and we practiced every morning together throughout the summer. With her help I quickly became one of the most skilled slayers.

Scanning our surroundings, I laughed inwardly. I really could not believe Willow when she told us the coordinates. Here we were, on the 50 yard line at the Cleveland Browns stadium, waiting for that damn portal. Really makes me wonder if my home team really is cursed. Luckily, it's the off-season and a Saturday, so the place is clear of people.

Just then my ears popped and an invisible force flew Vi and I back to the 30 yard line. An enormous black neck erupted from the portal, following by an elongated body with two great wings, and a swishing black tail. Altogether our new friend was about forty feet in length and ten feet high . 'FuckFuckFuckFuck', I thought. "It's a fucking dragon. A dragon. Willow sent us here for a fucking dragon", I gritted through my teeth. Evil seemed to come off this thing in waves. I had no doubt he'd be looking to sample the local cuisine ASAP.

"Oooookay. Well, maybe he's Puff. As in the Magic Dragon?" Vi balked off my look and smiled devilishly. "Hey, we can do this. Two against one, right?"

I snorted quietly. You can always count on Vi do stay positive. "Those are my kind of odds, darlin'."

Meanwhile the dragon swung its head around as in a daze and so far seemed to not spot us yet. I whispered to her. "One- We are not letting this dude go Godzilla on the 'Land. Two- That means we take him out hard and fast. Go straight for the head and wings. On three. One. Two. Three."

With that we were off. Adrenaline coursed through our veins and pushed us to run silently and rapidly. Lady Luck must have been pissed off at us though, because we were *not* in her favor tonight. A swift breeze blew past us and passed our scent right under the beast's nostrils. His head jerked towards us and Vi rolled underneath its torso. Up close, I realized he wasn't like any dragon I had seen pictures of. The creature was absolutely grotesque and I leaped out of the way right when it snapped its mouth at me. Ugh. Its mouth was lined with layers of sharp teeth that looked-and smelled- like it was used for tearing whole creatures for consumption. Jerk dragon probably ate cute fluffy bunnies with those teeth. Hmmm… I think I would like to make a necklace out of those.

I promptly jabbed my sword into the area between the side of the mouth and its eye at the same time Vi sliced halfway through its front leg. The roar was shriek-like and deafening. If I wasn't used to living in a dorm full of slayers who loved to blast various genres of music, its possible my ears would have melted. Luckily, they were used to it. The dragon creature started to flutter its wings so I jumped up, dug my sword into its side and used that leverage to fling myself towards its wing, which I promptly cut off.

"Yes!" I shouted in victory. Peering over I saw Vi and the beast engaging in a deadly dance. Every time it attempted to strike she pirouetted out of the way. There's a reason why she got placed in Cleveland. That girl has skills. Looking behind me, I realized the portal was still open. Biting my lip, I realized we needed to finish this in case more came. Using similar tactics I got onto the creatures back. My nose wrinkled in distaste as the smell of death and decay hit me. Hearing another roar of anguish I saw Vi had plunged her sword into the dragon's eye as its head reared back. Damn. Great shot, but now the girl was weaponless. Time to make my mark.

"Get out of here!" I shouted to her. I thrust the length of my sword into its back. Blinded and crazed with pain, the dragon began stumbling in a circle.

"SOFIA! Get off there now!" Knowing that we had yet to deal the death blow, I refused to get off. It was time to finish this beast.

It was too late when I realized that the mist had surrounded me, caressing my body. Looking down at Vi terror was evident in her eyes. Pivoting behind, I saw that the dragon had reentered the portal. I went to jump off, but it was too late. The portal had already swept me up.

The question now was, where the hell was I going?


	4. 15 Guys, a Girl, and a MiddleEarth

**Chapter 4: Fifteen Guys, a Girl, and a Middle Earth**

My friends often joke that I live up to the phrase 'Word hard. Party Harder'. Don't even ask me to name off the amount of nights I have spent dancing with my man of choice- Jose Cuervo. Always those great nights always led to hellish mornings.

Like right now. I felt like Jose and I got a 'lil too crazy last night. More so, it felt like we partied with his buds Jim Bean and Jack Daniels in some crazy orgy of alcoholism. My head was pounding and I couldn't see straight. My body felt sore all over, like I really did participate in some headboard hitting party.

Wait... My memory was recalling something…

A dragon.

And a portal.

Oh, Fuck.

I jumped up quickly and paid dearly for that action. It felt like the Keebler Elves had set up shop in my cranium. And they were river dancing as well. My bleary eyes scanned my body for my weapons. I still had two stakes lining each side of my belt, my crossbow on my back, and my six-inch knife sheathed in my boots. My sword lay twenty feet away… right next to that still-breathing jerk of a dragon. Gingerly picking myself up I shuffled towards it, since my body was not going to let me run just yet. While picking it up I felt eyes watching me. I scanned my surroundings. I seemed to be in a clearing in the middle of tall oak trees. The area seemed very alive and I couldn't tell if it was just the beauty of nature or something else that lurked past the trees.

Bellowing, the dragon started to get up. "Oh no, you don't," I admonished. "You pinche idioto pendejo! You think you can just take me through your portal. Well best believe I am going to kill the hell out of you. Fuckin' shish kabob, yo." Wasting no more time I leaped above its neck and brought my sword down hard. The gleaming silver steel sliced its neck all the way through and then its head flopped like a fish on dry land.

I lowered myself to the ground, conscious of my many bruises. Disgusting black blood covered portions of my face and body. Using the tall green grass, I began wiping it off. "Sorry grass," I muttered. "I know this stuff is real rank, but you're my only option." I closed my eyes for a moment to take this all in. Dragon dead equals yay. Stuck in another dimension potentially full of more dragons equals badness. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," I whispered. "What a horrible night."

I opened my eyes only to see fifteen men holding bows and arrows encircling me and pointing right at my head. I mentally rebuked myself for complaining. The first two realizations were enough. Adding these dudes to the list makes for a *really* horrible night.

I looked up at one of the men who said something to me. Tall and lean, he had dark hair that reached past his shoulders. Peering up, I noticed his pale face was absolutely flawless and he looked to be in his 20s. Yet, two grey eyes showed a depth of age that did not register with his youthful face. A voice that had a lilting, musical quality came out of his generous lips, but the words were unrecognizable. I responded, "I do not understand you." He said something else but I just shrugged my shoulders. He looked at the man next to him, who I assumed to be his twin since they looked exactly alike, with a 'what do we do now?' look.

It was very strange that I could not figure out what sort of language he was speaking. At Oxford I had two majors: Archaeology and Ancient History and the second was Latin. My experiences at school and traveling had taught me many languages but I failed to determine the source of his words. To appease them I put down the sword that I had been holding, but kept aware of my other trinkets at my waist boots. Not that I could likely take out fifteen dudes at once, but at least I would not be weaponless.

My eyes narrowed as I studied the one who had spoken to me. He had lengthy locks that reached past his shoulders and were braided in places. Resembling someone from a Renaissance Fair, he wore a cloak that hung over a tunic and trousers. I did not realize it at first, but as I observed his face again I saw that his ears were pointed!

My heart rate picked up slightly and I breathed in deeply. Damn. Fifteen men in an alternate dimension- maybe. Fifteen supernatural creatures in an alternate dimension- I'm fucked.

I raised my arms slowly. The leader looked me over and after glancing at his peers in confusion, he finally took my stakes out of my belt. He motioned for me to follow him and I did as we began to trek through the woods. Looking back, I noticed four stayed behind to set fire to the beast I had slain. Black smoke rose from the carcass and I took great solace in the fact that the breeze was blowing in the opposite direction.

Deciding to use my time wisely, I continued to observe my captors. First I scanned the remaining eleven's ears and found only the twins had pointed ears. The rest appeared to be merely men who seemed to be living a rough outdoorsy life. Beards covered their faces, their skin was sun-darkened, and all had shoulder-length hair that was in dire need of a washing. Actually, they should probably wash more than just their hair; the closest ones to me smelled of sweat and dirt. All eyes were on me and throughout the walk several would whisper to one another. While the twins seemed calm, fear emanated from the men and I could not understand why. I had my theories, of course. One, they saw that I killed a dragon, which is not an extra-curricular most young ladies are accomplished in, they are evil like the dragon and are afraid I will do the same to them. Second, they were on the side of good and feared I was in league with the dragon. Or third, my battle with the dragon had my hair looking as ghastly as it felt.

Pondering what they were going to do with me, I tried to feel out the environment. In one of our seminars entitled 'Demons: Evil or Just Misunderstood' Buffy explained that not all demons are evil. Some are neutral or good and just want a normal life like us. To demonstrate she brought in Clem, a gross looking demon who had thick skin that wrinkled heavily and folded upon itself in layers. Each of us came down near him and Buffy explained that Slayer senses are heightened and often we can rely on our natural instincts to feel out the auras of others. None of us felt malevolence from Clem and we came to understand that the underworld is not always black or white.

Closing my eyes, I sent my consciousness forward. It was a difficult process because I could feel that my captors were anxious and some were ready to get rid of me. Once again, I did not know if that meant they fought on the side of evil or thought that they thought I was evil. However, from the twins it was quite hard to tell; almost as if they were closed off to me.

Internally I began debating on if I should escape now or later. If I leave now, the eleven of them could outrun me or shoot me with a bow and arrow. Normally I could probably take on seven vampires by myself, but I still had no idea where I was or what abilities these people possessed. Although, they could be taking me to a place that will be even more difficult to escape and I may have wasted a valid opportunity. Buffy's voice from that first summer was playing over in my head. "The first rule of slaying: Don't Die". I sure as hell was planning on abiding by that rule and go with the flow, for now.

Soon I noticed another clearing existed amidst the trees and an encampment was set up there. Small tan tents were set up around a larger blue tent in the center. A fire blazed near the front of the opening but lay far enough away from the trees. Two men hovered over it roasting a deer. Opposite of the fire four men sat in a circle laughing and looked like they were telling stories. All resembled my captors and had swords sheathed on their back or waist. As soon as they noticed us the four men stood and walked towards us. The one at the head of the party, who I assumed was the leader, was an imposing figure with his height, at least six and a half feet, and his shaggy, dark hair.

One of the twins, I had no idea how to tell them apart, began to converse with the leader and gestured to me. Eying me up and down, the leader appraised me with grey- speckled eyes. As the twin did, he attempted to converse with me in different languages but I understood nothing. Many of the men began discussing amongst themselves and I wish I could have understood them. Actually, what I wished for is a hot shower. While some of the black, oily blood had been wiped off much of it was on my clothes and I could feel patches on my skin. God. I felt so gross.

Subtly, I noticed a change in the atmosphere. I was still in tune to auras in the surrounding and I felt a warming presence. For a second, I thought I was back home with my family- It was that type of feeling. Glancing up, a raven-haired woman with pointed ears emerged from the large tent and she had skin so light it seemed to glow. Her statuesque figure was clothed in a blue floor-length dress that had detailed embroidery. I dropped to my knees and lowered my head; she was the most beautiful person I had ever seen in the world and seemed to radiate love. A gentle hand lifted my chin up and I drowned into her ocean blue eyes. Those eyes seemed to pierce my soul and I had no idea how much time passed until she motioned me to get up. The others were all watching us and she spoke to them in that light, musical language again. One of them brought a basket to her and she gently clasped my hand and began to lead me.

No longer did I question what side these people fought on. This woman seemed to embody goodness and I knew we worked on the same side of the coin. Serenity washed over me and I no longer had my guard up. Eventually we approached a stream and she displayed the basket to me. Inside was an emerald green dress and what appeared to be a bar of soap. Smiling at me she pointed to herself and said "Arwen". I responded with my own name. I really hope that this language barrier could be crossed because this Tarzan/Jane gig was going to get old, fast.

I looked at my reflection in the clear stream. Two words came to my mind: hot mess. My long curly black locks which ran past my shoulders were sticking every where in tangled weaves. A shallow cut lay next to one of my coffee-colored eyes. With a tear down the side of my tank top, it was amazing to see the thing was just barely hanging together. Thankfully, my favorite fighting jeans only bore the injury of one small hole at the knee. However, my arms carried heavy bruising; most likely from jumping/falling off the dragon. Yeesh. No wonder I freaked those guys out.

Arwen undressed and moved into the stream with her back away from me. Understanding she was giving me an opportunity to wash, I quickly disrobed and began to bath in the cooling waters as she hummed a lovely tune. Once I was done I donned the green dress and Arwen led me back to camp. Dinner was done upon our arrival and my captors gave me some berries and venison. It wasn't rellenos de papa, but it wasn't bad.

Throughout dinner I saw that the men continued to study me. One in particular eyed me suspiciously. With his fair locks and shorter stature, he did not resemble the others. I wondered if he was another visitor, like me. Either way, I did not enjoy his stares. Distrust was evident in his eyes. Fortunately, the rest of the campers seem to ease down around me now. Most likely, that was due to Arwen's acceptance of me.

After dinner a man introduced himself to me as Amras and showed me to a tent, which was great because I was exhausted from the day's events. As we walked over I spied the fair-haired man staring at me speaking to the leader. I bet he wanted to make sure I didn't hurt anyone. Luckily for me, I still wore my boots that had the knife tucked into it. Regardless of Arwen's kindness, I knew it would be best to stay on guard. When I was with her earlier I felt calm, but without her presence I could feel my body tensing. In my tent I was thankful that my captors/hosts ( I still was not 100 percent sure on them) providing me a couple blankets. The days were warm, but the nights seemed quite chilly.

Outside I could hear some of the men talking around the fire and on of the was singing in a low, hushed voice. Laying down I kept my eyes open as I expanded my senses further to determine if any danger was near. Nothing revealed itself to me, but I still did not feel completely safe. I wondered if Vi had made it back to headquarters. The Cleveland Slayers HQ was headed up by Robin Wood, a son of a Slayer and a participant in the great Sunnydale Battle. About a dozen slayers, including Vi, patrolled the territory and fought back denizens of the Hellmouth that existed there. Fervently I hoped that they would find a way to bring me back.

With that thought, I drifted off to sleep.


	5. Rules of Etiquette for Captivies

Chapter 5: Rules of Etiquette for Captives

One second I was dreaming about Denzel and the next I was awake. Slayer senses make me a light sleeper, but what had woken me up? What had changed? In the .5 seconds I thought that a hand forcefully covered my nose and mouth with a foul smelling rag that burned my throat. It was a trap! I tried to pull away but the smell was so strong. I struggled to move but felt my body shutting down. Energy left my limbs and my eyelids felt like they were weighted down with boulders. I tried to look at my captor but I couldn't move my head. Terror built up a scream in my throat, but I lacked the energy to release it. My mind struggled to maintain conciousness but it was so hard. I felt a pressure like a great wave pushing at my head and I gave it. The wave pulled me under and I was gone.

*************************************************

The sound of hoose hooves and my body bouncing up and down woke me up. Daylight had settled in while I had been unconcious and it seemed that I was experiencing one of my ahem faaaaaavorite parts about being a slayer- Being tied up by the enemy. I was bound with coarse rope on the back of the horse while my captor rose in the saddle in front of me. Ha. Silly fool must not have known who he was messing with. Everybody knows rope does not stop a Slayer. I felt a rush of triumph. This will be a piece of cake.

I began wenching my wrists in opposite directions to free myself and realize that my body was still weak. Whatever he had used to posion me had worn off mentally but not physically. Dammit. I'm generally a pretty positive person, but today I feel like my life really, REALLY, sucks. I sighed softly, without even realizing it.

My mysterious captor dug his heels sharply into the horse's side and we came to a sudden stop. "So," a deep bass voice began, "you've awaken. I was told that the dew off a finari leaf would keep you a bit more incapacitated." He cleared his throat. "I will have to punish whoever told me wrong. Everything must be perfect for my Lord".

Leaping gracefully off his steed he landed softly in soft dirt of the woods we inhabited. Grinning sinisterly at me he undid a few knots and pulled me roughly off the horse. Landing with a thud I realized my wrists and ankles were still bound but I could wiggle a bit. A feeling of heaviness weighed down my body and I still felt that I was too weak for a fight. Hence, it was time to distract him and start talking! Also known as one of the Top Ten Rules of Etiquette for Captives.

"Umm... First off, why the hell can I understand you when I couldn't understand those other dudes?" My brain knew I said this sentence, but my voice sounded groggy and garbled to my ears.

His deep, guy from the Green Mile type chuckle resonated with evil. I rolled over and looked up and my captor. His blond hair hung down in waves and his smile was twisted up. I realized it was the guy from the camp- the one who kept staring at me! "My Lord has many powers. He knew who you were and blessed me with the power to understand you in case you could prove your worth."

"Who is your Lord?"

"You foolish girl. Do you think I am just going to answer your question?"

"Um, yeah. Its a rule."

His eyebrows shot together in a puzzled expression. "What? A rule? What is this rubbish about rules?"

"Duh. Whenever the Bad Guy captures the Good Guy he always tells him his evil and sinister plan."

"Well that does not make any sense. If the Good Guy escapes then he will foil the Bad Guys plans...Wait a second, what on Middle-Earth...Stop trying to confuse me!" A swift kick to my ribs really put the exclamation mark on that sentece for me. Ouch.

"Listen," I coughed as I felt a sharp pain in the chest, "I don't make the rules Hollywood does."

"Silence!" Another kick came my way. "The Dark Lord wants you dead, he foresaw your interference in our world, alien!"

"MMMkay, two things. One, you just told me part of your plan, so haha. Two, who do you think you are calling me an alien- Lou Dobbs? Bitch, please!"

Eyes flashing, he pulled his sword above him. "I greatly dislike you and will enjoy your pain as I do the Dark Lord's bidding."

I rolled out of the way just as the blade crashed down. After that small bit of chit-chat I felt better, but still exhausted. Blondie brought the sword down again and my bound feet kicked his hands that forced him to drop his sword. Quickly I ran my rope bound wrists over the edge and was half-way free. Recovering quickly, Blondie punched me in the face and I rocked back to the ground. He was on me in a second. Sweat beaded down from his forehead onto my lip as he grabbed my neck fiercly and began to choke me. I gagged and grabbed each of his forearms. Adrenaline fueled me with Slayer-strength and I crushed his arms. Bone splintered and he howled in pain like a cat in heat.

I rocketed forward and unbound my ankles. "Ok, puto. Now its time to talk. Give me the goods- Who is this Dark Lord, where am I, why am I here, etc. You tell me nicely or I will personally display my anatomy knowledge by breaking every one of your bones. Its been a while, but there are at least over 200 of those pretty white things inside you just waiting to be snapped like twigs."

Blondie whimpered from the pain and his breathes came out in short gasps. "No, kill me. I would rather face that than dishonor my Lord."

"That can be arranged." I followed that up with my best evil laugh. Mind you, I have an awesome evil laugh. Like, good enough to work at Cedar Point Amusement Park's Halloweekends. Hopefully it is good enough to bluff. Only one Slayer in recent history has killed a human and I really did not want to be the second. Even if this dude was evil.

"Do i-". His words ended in gasps as he clutched his throat and eyes bulging out in terror.

"What is happening?" Oh my God. If the Bad Guy starts choking, am I supposed to give him the Heimlech? Giles soooo never covered that.

I went behind him, pulled him up, and started thrusting my fists into his gut. But nothing happened. Blondie just got quiet and I realized he stopped breathing. I layed him on his back (Thank you Red Cross Babysitting Course!) and began giving him mouth to mouth. His lips tasted of dead things; the taste of evil. I continued to help even though I so badly wanted to brush my teeth with bleech. Within minutes it was over. I sat up, wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, and reflected.

First this guy kidnaps me.

Then tries to kill me.

Then starts to die and I save him. Why the hell did I do that? I could say so he could tell me what's going on but the truth is I cannot stand the idea of letting someone die once they have, in effect, surrendered or been captured by me. It is just outside of my moral code.

But, it didn't matter. He died anyway. And why did he start choking in the first place? And why the hell am I here and where is here and HOW am I going to get home?

The only answer I got was the wind that whistled through the trees.


	6. Three Stanky Demons and a Rosetta Stone

Chapter 6: Three Stanky Demons and a Rosetta Stone

Twilight was approaching. Only slivers of light came through the thick leaves that covered the forest canopy. Since the death of Blondie I had probably been walking at least eight hours in the woods. I have no idea which direction camp was nor how to get out. Not to mention, I didn't even know if that camp was safe for me. Although, if all those guys wanted to kill me then Blondie wouldn't have needed to kidnap me and take me away.

I was tired. My body was covered with multi-colored bruises from my dragon fight and fresh bruises had already begun to blossom where Blondie had strangled me. I essentially looked like the poster child for a women's shelter. Hunger pains ripped across my abdomen like talons. In an alterate universe it is never a good idea to eat from random plants or animals. But if only I could find a water source I could hold the hunger at bay for a bit longer. My insides felt like a dry husk and the yearning for a freezing cold glass of water was almost overwhelming. But I knew I could make it longer if I needed to. I just had to focus on something else.

Like that pretty pointed-eared man that found me yesterday. Yes, he makes for a nice distraction. There was something about those grey eyes that were compelling. That there were two of them who were identical make for an even better distraction. A playful smile tugged at my lips. I'm a modern girl and like my men the same way. MMM... But those long dark locks reminded me of how hot Brad Pitt was in Legends of the Fall. (Terrible movie, mind you, but that image of him riding that horse with his hair flowing has never left me). Their hair looked so soft I just wanted to run my fingers through it. Not to mention their broad shoulders...

Unfortunately I had so thoroughly distracted myself that I jumped when I heard shouting up ahead. It sounded like the hoarse voice of an old man and deeper, sinister voices arguing. Tired or not, my Slayer instincts took over and I crept through the underbrush silently until I could see the arguing men.

Or rather the arguing man and three demony, oily, black creatures. The last bit of light had escaped and the figures were cast in shadows. A horse lay on its side, riddled with arrows. Next to the horse a cloaked man wearing a tall, pointy hat was brandishing a long, wooden staff as he shouted in another language. While the old man towered over his opponents, the four-foot creatures were disturbing to behold. They were hairless creatures that stank of death and decay, much like the dragon I slayed the day before. Each clutched a sword in his hand and were beginning to circle the old man.

Although the old man kind of reminded me of Dumbledore from Harry Potter, I doubted he could win against the demons. I glanced quickly around to find a weapon. Although the ground was littered with many sticks and bugs it was void of something heavy or sharp enough. Suddenly I remembered my dagger in my boots. Of course! Seems lack of food and water really do make the mind slow on the uptake.

I pulled the dagger out and leaped onto the closest demon. He shrieked in surprise, and then pain, as I slid my steel into the side of his throat. It went in easy, like warm butter. Black blood spurted out and I leaped back as the other demon swung his sword at my head. As the other two demons came at me I realized I should have grabbed the dead demons sword. Suppose I'd have to make do with my dagger.

As they flanked me I glanced upward and saw thick tangled branches. When the first one made his move I leaped straight up, grabbed a branch with one hand, and swung myself over the head of the second one. Surprised, he tried to swing around but it was too late. Only the hilt of my dagger protruded from his back. I yanked it out and stumbled back only a second before the remaining demon's sword whistled in air where my head once was.

Jumping to me feet I readied my battle form. Breathing heavier than I would like to admit, my throat burned for a drink. Staring at me as he began to circle, the demon growled. Its lips drew up into a sneer I shivered. Not from fear, but from how damn grotesque it looked. I'd seen my share of demons in the last five years, but this thing was creepy as hell. Not an ounce of fat rested on the creature and its skin looked like it was pulled tightly over its limbs. While making this assesment the demon said something and licked its lips. It didn't take a genius to determine if the demon had its way, I was going to be late-night snack. Gross.

Watching the demons stance I saw the ball of his right foot move ever so slightly forward and I knew he would attack on that side. Within a second his sword flashed down and I parried with my dagger. A surprising amount of strength hid in those emaciated arms. Stike, parrry, strike. As we played 3 Musketeers I realized I underestimated the creature. It possesessed strength and speed, and my body was so exhausted that I wasn't doing as good as I would have thought. I had to end this soon, before I ran out of stamina. Once the demon swung his sword I leaped to the tree next to me and pushed off the side of it with my feet. Propelling over the demon's body I dropped like a cat behind him. When he turned around I thrust my dagger into his heart. Or, at least middle of chest where hearts tend to be. You really can never be too sure when you're fighting a demon. Its eyes widened in shock and the demon dropped to the ground, dead.

Surveying the forest floor, I admired my work. Exhausted, malnourished Slayer: 3. Creepy, smelly Demons: 0.

The gravelly voice of the old man drew my attention to him. My shoulder muscles immediately tensed as he walked slowly towards me. Feeling like an idiot, again, I said, "I'm sorry but I do not understand you." I smiled as I said it and prayed he possesed the Rosetta Stone or the Dimensional Languages for Dummies book.

Turning his head slightly to the right he gazed at me with curious eyes that glittered with intelligence. A tiny ball of fear formed in my belly when my Spidey-senses felt a swell of power come from him. However, I kept my face a mask of that perfect 'Whatever' expression I perfected in high school.

Muttering softly the old man flourished his staff in my direction. White noise filled my mind and that Jose Curevo feeling came back. Knees buckling, I fell (once again!) to the forest floor. My fingers furiously moved over my temples to try to dispell the pain. Within a minute my mind cleared and only a slight dull pain ecased my head. Blinking rapidly I stood up and peered at the old man.

I screamed in frustration. "Pinche viejo! Que hice? Ay, mi cabeza! Loco viejo! Te prometo, voy a golpearte, or algo!" One hand rubbed my temple while the other rested on my hip.

The old man's mouth twisted to the side and he looked bewildered. "Oh my. I really thought that spell would have fixed the language barrier. Valar help me, I'm not sure what went wrong. It should have worked per-"

"OH MY GOD! YOU SPEAK ENGLISH! THANK DIOS!" Without a second thought I jumped up and hugged the old man. He stumbled back a bit under my weight and returned the embrace. Pulling back, he looked me over; confusion still evident on his face.

"Actually my dear I speak Westron. However, I did a spell that automatically translated Westron for you into your common tongue, this English you speak of. Likewise, when you speak English, I hear it as Westron. And of course, this correlates with any other being of Middle-Earth you speak to." He scratched under his hat. "Now, what I'm confused about is that other language you were speaking. I thought my spell didn't work when I couldn't understand you."

I laughed merrily. All the stress and exhaustion of the last two days evaporated with my newfound joy of communication and finding someone who didin't want to kill me. Of course, lack of food and drink may have been making me a bit slap-happy as well.

"Oh, no. That was spanish I was speaking. My family is from Pueto Rico." Seeing his quizzical look I explained further. "Puerto Rico is a country, or, well, a commonwealth of the country I was born in. I grew up knowing both languages. Sometimes I fall back into Spanish without realizing iot, like if I'm excited or angry."

"Indeed. Well my dear, that sounds quite interesting. Before we continue further, allow me to introduce myself as Gandalf they Grey. And you are...?"

"Sofia. Sofia Ramirez."

"Sofia Ramirez, it is a pleasure to meet you. However, I do not know about you, but I am positively famished after that attack." He walked to the bag attached to his deceased horse and brought it back to me. "Would you care to join me in a bit of a picnic?"

Seeing the bag of food, my stomach growled loudly. Gandalf merrily laughed and I joined him with a chuckle of my own.


	7. Actually, in My Culture

Chapter 7: Actually, in *My* Culture...

I layed on my back and attempted to sleep. Unfortunately, my brain was all over the place. So much had happened in the last two days. During our picnic I conveyed my tale to Gandalf. He was especially interested in my world and how a portal had placed the dragon in it. Of course, he called the dragon a 'fell beast', whatever the hell that means. I left out Vi and the whole Slayer bit, since I wasn't 100% sure I could trust him. He had seemed interested when I told him about the pointy-haired dudes and the unwashed me. Turns out those men were called 'Rangers' and the pointy-haired guys were called I told him my hesitation about them, he assured me they were friends of his. Which had made me feel kind of silly, because if they were his friends then I really hoped he hadn't noticied the warm blush creep across my cheeks when I about had mentioned the "really attractive pointy-haired guys". Arrrrrgh, I am always putting my foot in my mouth.

He didn't really give me a chance to ask any questions, sadly. He seemed most disturbed about Blondie and his 'Dark Lord', but promised he would tell me tomorrow once we arrived at the camp. So many questions, and not enough answers. Man, this 'Middle-Earth' place sure is fun.

***************************************

Gandalf and I walked side by side. He had given me a balm this morning for my bruises and I was starting to feel like my old self again. We had been walking in silence for several hours. Gandalf said he needed time to reflect. Reflect on what, I sure wanted to know but wasn't bout to ask. I learned a long time ago not to annoy powerful, magical beings. Well, I thought with a wry smile, annoying Willow is a bit of an exception. She's just so easy to tease.

The camp was in sight and I could see some the Rangers hauling equiptment onto their horses. It looks like they were about to pack up.

"Mae governan Gandalf! What brings you to us with our missing charge?"

Inwardly I startled, but kept a cool expression. From out of nowhere came the grey-eyed elf. He was clad in brown boots, dark leggings, and a forest-green tunic. Today his hair was half pulled back in an intricate braid. He seemed even taller than I remembered and when he smiled at me I had a horrible urge to giggle like an idiot. Instead, thankfully, I nodded his way. Right away, I became self-concious of my appearance. I was still wearing the green dress that Arwen had given me but now it was tattered, dirty, and stained with the blood of my enemies. Essentially, it was my typical Slayer look. I shouldn't have felt weird in it, but my stupid hormones had control over that part of my brain. Maldito lo. Now is NOT the time to form a crush. Especially on an elf.

The two men... er, elf and man, embraced. "Mae governan Elladan. I suspect you recieved my message?"

Elladan grinned. "Yes. It is well you sent it to us. Dregos was acting strange the day we found her and when Arwen noticed her missing the next morning we began our search. It is lucky that you found her."

Wrinkling my nose in distaste, I began to get irritated. Wizard, elf, I didn't give a damn who these people were but this is not Victorian England and I will not be discussed about as if I am not here. "Actually, no offense Gandalf," here I shot him a look, "but Gandalf was more lucky that I found him. And where I come from we do not talk about people as if they are not standing right next to you." Eyes flaring, I crossed my arms. At the end of the day, men can be so machismo.

Gandalf grinned and Elladan laughed heartily, further aggravating my nerves. I really am going to end up with high blood pressure someday soon. Seeing my look and crossed arms Elladan stopped laughing. "Oh no my lady! I did not mean to be rude, I just thought you still could not understand us. It appears our wizard friend has been busy." He smiled serenly and reached out his right hand. "Forgive me, I am Elladan of Imladris."

Lost in his eyes I missed the fact that I should respond, but his next words shook me out of that reverie. "Does you culture not greet in this manner?"

For a second my devilish side thought about lying and saying, 'actually in my culture we greet each other naked... Now take off your clothes'. Dammit! I could feel my cheeks reddening from thinking that (and thinking about what could happen in that scenario) and I tried to redeem myself from being such a weirdo. "Um, well, more or less." I shook his hand. It felt warm and enveloped my smaller smaller hands. "My name is Sofia of Cleveland." I grinned at copying his introduction and at what my friends would think of that.

"More or less?," he questioned.

Shrugging half-heartedly I answered, "In America its typical to greet with a handshake but people of my heritage greet with a kiss on the cheek. Its a Latino thing."

A smile played across his lips and his eyes sparkled with mischief. "Well, Sofia, I think it is important that you are comfortable here as you would be at home. How do we do this kiss on the cheek?"

My eyes widened slightly in surprise and I faltered. If I was already acting like an idiot, than how the hell was I going to act if I there was cheek kiss-age? Gracias a Dios, I was saved just in time because Arwen approached us.

"Arwen!," I shouted. Strange how after only hangin out with her for a short time I already felt that warm-happy feeling I get when I see a good friend or familia. There was just something about her, some connection we had that I didn't quite get.

"Sofia! I am so happy that you are safe! And that you can understand me." Laughing, Arwen hugged me. "By the Valar!", she exclaimed as we pulled apart. "Looks like you will need a new dress. And perhaps another bath." She giggled.

"Hey," I said as I playfully hit her arm. "Gandalf told me you were some Elven Princess. I'm afraid not all of us can be clean like little princesses." Gandalf, Elladan, Arwen, and I all laughed.

Arwen smiled and clarified, "Actually, I'm not a princess. Unfortunately Gandalf can exaggerate at times"

Gandalf layed his hand on her shoulder and laughed merrily. "Maybe you are not a princess to the world, but perhaps to a foolish old man like myself."

"Regardless," Elladan snickered, "Arwen would never be a good example of a princess in that when it comes to being clean. When she was a elfing she was proficient in making dirt castles. Our poor mother always feared the messes she would bring into the house."

"Now brother, if I remember correctly, you were the one who taught me those skillls. And mother always told me I was far cleaner than you or fine example you turned out to be."

"True enough sister." Both of them hugged and began laughing again. Watching them was so interesting. It seemed the elves lived to laugh. Maybe there is a correlation between Santa's cheerful elves and these ones. Internally I giggled at the thought of Arwen and Elladan working at the North Pole.

I realized with a start that the three elves (assuming the twin of Elladan must be Elohrir) were all related, meaning that I have been lusting after my new friend's brother. Great. Just like high school. Wow, I sure know how to choose them. Seriously, when I get home I am signing up for . Once again I could feel a blush start to form on my cheeks and tried to distract myself. "So, you're Arwen's older brother, huh?"

Oh my God. That sounded even stupider out loud.

"Of course, Lady Sofia. As such, I am duty and honor-bound to do the following: Escort you and Arwen to lunch so we may all dine before leaving camp." Elladan held out his right arm and Arwen took it. With his left he held it out to me. I looked at it warily, like a child might look at a hot burner contemplating touching it just to see what would happen. But in the end I took Elladan the Elf of Imladris' arm and allowed him to escort me to dinner.

Middle-Earth just keeps getting stranger and stranger.


	8. OK, Elves are not Drag Queens

Chapter 8: OK, Elves are not Drag Queens

The sun shined directly overhead as we dined on our picnic fare of salted pork, berries, and a delightful orange vegetable that tasted a bit like a in a circle were Gandalf, the twins Elladan and Elrohir, Arwen, the leader whose name was Aragorn, and Amras who was my guide from when I first arrived. The weather was mild, maybe 70 degrees, and a sweet breeze that carried the fragrence of the nearby daffodils swept through my hair. For the first time I thought that Middle-Earth, besides those nasty creatures, people who want to kill me, and of course the dragons; might not be such a bad place after all.

Before dinner I was able to change and I thankfully looked once more like a girl. Arwen had loaned me another gown that was tinted golden, like hay that had endured hours of the sun. It was made of a light linen and came to my knees. Unfortunately for me, the elf princess was not as well-endowed as I, so it was tight at the bust. Not Carmen Electra bad, but still a bit showy. My hair was braided in some complicated french braid that travelled past my shoulders. Once I told Arwen that without hair product my curls would go berserk she kindly braided it for me. She said it would be best to keep it out of the way when we start travelling again.

The atmosphere was light at the beginning of lunch but once Gandalf told my tale the air felt heavy with worry. "So," began Aragorn, "Dregos was a spy after all. When we found him lost in the woods we should have known better. He said his horsed died on the trail and he needed our help. Should have left him be rather than taking him in for a meal and travel. He was with us for a whole day and I did not realize his dark agenda. Damn!" With that Aragorn gulped down the last of his wine.

"Do not be so angry at yourself my friend," comforted one of the twins. "Neither Elladan nor I realized his hiddien motives either. It was suspicious that he seemed so afraid of Sofia, but he hid his fealty to the Dark Lord well. It is our duty to help those we come across with food or shelter. We could have done nothing different."

"Indeed, Aragorn. It is the will of the Valar that such a thing happened. Otherwise, we may have never known that Sofia's appearance has a purpose and it is one that the Dark Lord fears." With those words Arwen gently caressed Aragorn's hand with her own.

"You, as always, are right Arwen." Aragorn smiled at her and brought her hand to his lips. His smile seemed to light up his face and he no longer looked like a dirty hippie guy, but instead looked almost regal

"Ho-kay. Guys, listen. I am beyond confused. Can you please tell me what is going on? Who is the Dark Lord and why is he afraid of me?"

Gandalf blew a smoke ring and waved his pipe into the air as he spoke. "My dear, the Dark Lord has a long history that has affected many people over the ages. To tell his full story would take a fortnight. But let me tell you this. His name is Sauron and at one point he was on the brink of taking over all of Middle-Earth. At that time he was the most powerful being in our lands. But a legion of men and elves defeated him. Since that day many thought that he was gone forever. But over the last few years his old fortress past the Black Gate has been busy. Armies of orcs, those creatures you killed last night, and other creatures have been growing in numbers. More and more land near his fortress has been taken over. To what purpose, we are not yet sure. But we do know that Sauron is growing in power and when he is at full strength it may be impossible to defeat him once more."

I breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly. "Wow." I breathed in again. "That's pretty intense. I mean, I have fought creatures who have tried to take over the world before, but they never really came that close that a legion of fighters were needed... So he's pretty powerful, huh?"

Smiling grimly, Gandalf answered me. "I'm afraid so. Even my powers are no match for his. Even the eldest of my people are not his equal. As for how you may fit into his plans, I do not know this."

"Whoa, ok. I don't fit into *anybody's* plans. Listen, this is not my world. I am duty bound as a Slayer to my dimension. Everyday we must fight demons taking over towns and trying to destroy the world. My sisters fall in battle each day trying to protect our people. If I am not there then it is just more likely that someone, somewhere, will fail and my people will fall into darkness. I need to get home." I looked up after my speech and observed all their expressions. I could tell they were disappointed and I felt my stomach knot up. The way Elladan looked at me hurt, it was like I had just told a kid Santa was really just their dad having too many drinks and stumbling around the house.

"I'm sorry. For reals, y'all have been great and I appreciate it more than you know. But this is not my battle."

Aragorn set his chin and looked right into my eyes. "I understand you duty to your people. But if there is anything you can do for my people I ask you to do it."

Frustration raged inside me. "Aragorn", I bit off, "Listen. ...Do. Ok? I love to fight and I'm fucking amazing at it, lets be honest. But there is no plan. For all I know, this thing I do that Sauron's afraid of could be two years from now. I cannot wait that long. Listen, thanks for the meal. But I'm going to take a walk." Abruptly I sat up and began walking. I didn't even give a damn where I went but I wanted to get away from that conversation.

I mean, really? Really, what did they want me to do? I have fought with teams of Slayers for 5 years. Slayers: the nightmares of the nightmares. And they want me to fight with some elves (Hello Keebler Elves or Rice Crispies- SO not scary) and some dirty men.

Oh, no, I'm sorry. They didn't ask me to technically fight because they don't even know what they want me to do. I don't know why this made me so angry, but it did. For all I know I could end up here forever. I already missed mi familia, my Slayers, and the Scoobies. I'm sure by now Willow is working on some magickal juj-ju but what if it doesn't work? I don't want to get tied down here.

Arrrgh. And now I feel like a bitch for refusing to fight for these people. They've all been really nice so far. Obviously this Sauron dude is bad news since, hello!, he tried to kill me. But they don't even know what I'm supposed to do. And I already fight for one world, now am I supposed to fight for another? Sometimes I am just so tired. Tired of not having my own life. Yeah, yeah, I'm one of the Chosen Ones. Its my *destiny*. But can't my destiny be to curl up with a good book and drink a margarita?

"Sofia."

Automatically I jumped into a fighting stance as a bewildered elf stared at me. "Rule number one of associating with a Slayer: Do not sneak up on them."

He grinned and displayed two rows of shiny, white teeth. "I didn't realize it was so easy to sneak up on a Slayer. Aren't you, how did you so elegantly put it, the nightmare of the nightmares?" He laughed softly as he said that.

Scowling I said, "Did I mention that Rule number two is to not make fun of a Slayer? And which one are you, anyways? Shouldn't twins be forced to wear name tags?"

"You cannot tell us apart?"

I rolled my eyes. "Please, I have a hard enough time using my senses to pick vampires out of a crowd. The Powers that Be are not so fair in their power distribution." I eyed him warily as my stomach did a little somersault. Regardless of who was who, they were both breathtaking to behold.

Stepping closer to me he murmered softly, his lips less than a foot from mine. "Surely you can tell the difference Sofia." His soft grey eyes peered into mine. Goosebumps sprang up on my arms from the way he said my name- like a soft caress. Soft perhaps like his lips would be...

"Well", I said huskily, "I suppose I know which one you are." I batted my eyelashes flirtatiously. He raised an eyebrow in surprise and there was something in his eyes that I could not decipher. My next words were hardened. "You must be Elladan. Only he could be as aggravating as you are. Now if you excuse me, I am trying to be on a mediatative walk." With that I pushed past him. Ha. Clearly he doesn't understand that I am not some wilting flower. I don't know what kind of game he's playing, but I am not about to be part of it.

"Wait Sofia!" He hurried beside me. "I did not mean to bother you. You just seemed so upset at lunch that I wanted to see how you were. I thought perhaps you might need someone to talk to."

I glared at him. Its really annoying when an attractive guy acts caring. And I say acts because all females know that each and every man has a hidden agenda. My mama told me that when I was 12 and I've seen enough to believe that. "Really. And you think you might be that person?" I stopped when I said this and stared him down.

When he turned his head to look at me I was unable to discern his expression as he stiffened. "I merely thought I could be of some service. My apologies for disrupting your walk." Elladan turned around and started walking back towards camp.

Great. Now I hurt his feelings. I really can be a cabrona sometimes. "Please don't go." Elladan stopped without facing me. "I've just got a lot on my mind. I didn't mean to snap at you." I plucked a dandelion from the ground and handed it to him. "Friends?", I said with a cheesy smile and batted my eyes cartoonishly.

"Hmm. Friends. Well," he smiled. "I suppose that may be acceptable for now." My stomach tightened when I wondered what he meant by 'for now'. He took the dandelion and twirled it in his fingers. "Is this the type of thing friends give to one another? A weed?" A mischieveous smile lit up his face. "My, your home dimension, as you call it, must be quite advanced. I can see why you want to return so badly."

I harrrumphed and tried to take back my dandelion but Elladan raised it above my head. "What, I thought you didn't want my 'weed'?"

He laughed and replied "Now Sofia, I did not say I did not want it. I am merely trying to understand this 'rich' culture you come from."

A growl came out out of my throat. "Listen chico, don't you be talking about my culture. You're the one wearing tights and long hair. In my dimension the only place you'd see guys like you is at a drag show." I laughed at the image in my mind of Elladan rocking it out on stage at a drag show.

Forehead furrowed he asked what a drag show was. I explained the concept of a man dressing like a woman and that they tend to prefer other men. Of course, it got the desired reaction.

"What?! I by no means look like a woman nor do I lust after my own gender! That is quite preposterous." The whole time he reacted I just cracked up. "Now, stop laughing. I find it a bit insulting that you think I look like a 'drag queen'." I laughed harder.

"Uhhhhhhh , the more you deny it the more likely it is to be true!" By now tears of laughter were forming at the corners of my eyes.

"I am a warrior prince who comes from one of the grandest lineages of elfdom. Must I prove your theory to be false?"

I pretended to ponder that. "Yeah, what are you going to do? Do you have some Levis in your tent?"

"I do not know what a Levis are, but I do know this." Completly unexpected to me, Elladan grasped the back of my head and pulled my lips up to his. His lips roughly pressed against mine. For a moment I was frozen; shocked. Then I pushed back my conscience and returned the kiss. Eager lips softened and he cupped my face tenderly. His lips tasted of the sweet berries we had fed on earlier. I could smell his woodsy personal cologne and allowed myself to run my fingers through his soft hair. All too soon he pulled back and looked far calmer than I felt. "Now Sofia, would a drag queen do that?"

A shiver ran down my spine from the intimate way he said my name. All I could say, all my brain could formulate, was "No."

He grinned and looked quite pleased with himself. "Excellant."

As luck would have it, our intimate and maybe awkward moment was interrupted by a shout back towards camp. It was Amras announcing that we were set to begin travelling and everyone was needed at camp.

Glancing over at Elladan, I felt more confused than ever. And I did what I always do when I'm uncomfortable with a situation. I left.

I walked back to camp quickly, not running mind you, but more so a spirited walk. The whole time I avoided looking at Elladan or touching him. As soon as we made it back to camp I went to Arwen's wagon where I would stay during the journey, and did not say another word to him.


	9. Discovering I Totally Beat Buffy at Some

Chapter 9: Discovering I Totally Beat Buffy at Something

I sat in Arwen's wagon in a moody silence. The wagon was covered and driven by the Ranger Amras so we were protected from the elements. I felt bad for not being more social, but really couldn't muster the trademark Sofia Ramirez bravado. We had been traveling for several hours and she allowed me my silence while she sat repairing various pieces of clothing that belonged to the Rangers. I had a feeling that Arwen was like my friend Xander Harris who works with the Slayers. She knew something was wrong but was allowing me my silence until I decided to confide in her. Like Xander, I bet she was probably pretty good at the whole comforting thing. But I was reluctant to confide in her about the kiss between Elladan and I.

For one, I did not even know how I felt about it. Outraged by his arrogance to kiss me, delighted he did, and confused on his intentions. Many men have treated me as the 'exotic Latina', their own personal latin lover (or so they think). Does he view me as something exotic as well since I am from a completely new dimension? Do elves just randomly kiss people? Or does he, maybe, like me?

I snorted out loud. Yeah. Right. There is no way he likes me, he doesn't even really know me. But a tiny, hidden part of me wished that he did. Its been so hard being single. Considering what happened to my only serious boyfriend, Erik, it made sense to stay single. But sometimes, when I allow myself a pity party, I thought about how nice it would be to have someone to come home to, someone to cuddle with. Buffy once said to me and a couple other girls that there is nothing like being a Slayer to kill your love life.

Dios mio Sofia, get a grip. The dude isn't even your species. Or your world. You've got bigger things to worry about, like getting home without someone trying to kill you again.

I breathed in deeply. Good pep talk....Sure.

"Sofia?" I jumped when Arwen said my name, so far into my thoughts I had forgotten where I was. Middle-Earth is really throwing me off. I swear, I never jump this much normally. I'm a freaking Slayer for crying out loud.

"Que pasa?", I answered without thinking.

"Kay pa-sa?" Arwen looked slightly humorous as she tried sounding out the new words.

"My bad. I switched again. Que pasa just means 'what's up?'"

"Ah, and what's up is asking me what I want?"

I had to laugh at that. "I know, my language has waaaay too much slang."

"Well, 'hanging out' with you is certainly educational." Arwen winked at me as she said 'hanging out'. Who knew elves winked? "But Sofia, enough jest, you look so troubled that I have to intrude and ask what is wrong?"

Biting my lip in contemplation on how to answer I could still taste Elladan's lips. I forced a laugh and a smile on my face. "Arwen my newfound friend, what is not wrong? I am in a new world with no idea how to get back to my own and the numero uno bad guy here wants my head. Add into the fact that I'm praying that my family is not freaking out and hoping everything is still good at Headquarters...Well, its kind of a lot to take in all at once."

She frowned at me in concern. I decided to change the subject though, because I do not like throwing pity parties. "Please, lets not talk about me. Tell me more about you." I smiled eagerly, mentally urging her on to not continue questioning me. My mental state was weaker than I would have liked and it was better to be distracted.

"Well, I wouldn't know where to start..." Her sentence trailed off.

"Start at the beginning. How old are you?"

"Hmmm. I'm slightly over 2,000."

My jaw dropped in disbelief. "Santa Maria! Please tell me you do not mean years! I mean, mira your skin! Nada wrinkles!"

Arwen seemed to enjoy my reaction far too much and her eyes twinkled with unheard laughter. "Yes my friend. Elves do not get sick or old. We can die in battle and we can choose to leave this life, but those are the only obstacles to living for eternity. Indeed, I am quite young. My brothers are hundreds of years older than I."

Sitting back I gnawed my lip. I was still shocked at how old she was, but even more so I kissed someone over two thousand years old than me. On the bright side, I _totally _beat Buffy's record in that department. My dude was way older than Angel or Spike. I can't wait to tell Buffy... But I'd have better hope Xander doesn't hear about it or I'll get made fun of, or a lecture, or both.

Quickly I rebuked myself. Elladan is NOT my dude. The sooner I forget about him and that lovely moment, the better.

"Arwen, that's kind of... Crazy! You must have seen so much in all those years of living!"

Staring off into the distance she hesitated a moment before replying. "Have I existed a long time, yes. But I have only been truly living for a short time."

I interpreted her reaction and the way she comforted Aragorn last night. Of course. "Does that have anything to do with Aragorn?"

She blushed and tinted her pale cheeks prettily. "I do not speak of him often, but yes. That is true."

"So... you two are a couple?"

Arwen giggled like that was a silly question. "Aragorn and I love each other and have for years. But it is complicated." I gave her a questioning look- there was nothing more exciting than a love story. "Oh Sofia. Please know I would love to tell you someday but not now. It is long, complicated, and wrought with things I shouldn't share."

Feeling a little hurt I replied breezily, "Oh, alright." Probably being alive for over 2,000 years had enhanced her inter-relational skills and she scooted over and hugged me.

"Mellon-nin, it is not that I do not trust you. But that speaking of what will be or could be can be most painful. Only the Valar know our destinies. I know that mine is intertwined with Aragorn but cannot see how it will end."

I leaned into her. "Its fine. I've never been very good at talking about my love life either. By the way, what does 'mellon-nin' mean?"

"Why 'friend' of course!"

I smiled sheepishly. "Well, ok, mellon-nin. So, tell me more about your family. What's are they like?"

"I suppose I grew up much like other elves. Elves as a race are very loving and enjoy being close to one another. My-"

"Wait a second, really? Thats so cool! My family, my race, are the same way.I thought I had picked up on that"

"It looks like regardless of race or dimension we can still find things in common."

I bust out laughing. "Oh dawg, that was SUCH a public service announcement! Ooooh man." I continued laughing and Arwen did as well once I explained what a PSA was.

"Anyways, I was very close to my family. My brothers were of course older than me but were still good playmates. Elladan was always getting me in trouble, he's more the joker of the two. Elrohir is slightly more subdued but they are both bad influences on one another. Growing up I wanted to be like them so badly. I took up the fighting arts to be more like them."

"Wait, you know how to fight? Its ok in your culture for women to fight?"

"Oh yes. Elves do not believe that one sex is greater or lesser than the other. Our society is equal in those aspects. Of course, I was never really encouraged to fight like them since every parent worries about their elfing's safety, but I was never discouraged neither. I became quite good at wielding a staff but my true talent was in using the sword. Yet, I never participated in battle very often. The one time I greatly wanted to was the one time I was forbidden."

My eyes widened. "Why on earth would you be forbidden?"

Leaning against the side of the wagon Arwen closed her eyes. "I was very young when it happened. Our mother was kidnapped by orcs. They tortured her terribly and when she came back to us she was a broken thing. It was utterly the worst thing I have experienced in all my years. My mother was a strong elf and seemed so great in my eyes. To see her at her worst was almost more than I could take." I put my hand on her shoulder in comfort and she turned to be in a silent thank you. "Anyways, the twins went out to exact revenge on the orcs. I badly wanted to go with them, but was forbidden due to my age."

"Arwen, " I soke softly. "That is awful. What happened to your mother?"

"Sadly, she never recovered. She made the decision to sail from this world into the Undying Lands. It is where Elves go when their time is done here in Middle-Earth. Since then, my brothers have been especially protective. Hence the armored escort to my grandparents' home in the Lothlorien."

"I have heard you speak of this a little. Tell me more about the Lothlorien and your grandparents."

"My grandparents are Celeborn and Galadriel. They are the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien, the best protected Elf realm in Middle Earth. It was decided wise for me to be somewhere safer in these times of danger. Not to mention, I have come here often since I was a child and love it dearly. The trees are truly breathtaking. All elves love living things and those woods are truly spectacular."

"Why is it so safe?", I questioned.

"Lothlorien is protected by the wardens, skilled warriors who ensure the safety of all who reside within."

"Excellant. There is nothing like hanging out with fellow warriors. So, are elves good at fighting?"

The way Arwen laughed at that made me feel a little bit stupid. "Due to our elf abilities of stamina, balance, and strength and our long lives that allow many years of practice, we are exceptional fighters."

Hmm... So I guess elves would be handy in a fight. "Sorry if I offended you, but elves in my land are tiny, comical creatures. Not really known for fighting." I smiled and told her about the Keebler and Rise Krispie elves. She also mentioned that the Rangers we were with were also highly skilled in the fighting another reminder that I really can be too quick to judge.

We proceded to talk the rest of the trip about our lives and families. It was only when our group stopped to make camp that we took a break to rest our voices.

****************************************************************

Arwen had gone on ahead but I continued to wash up and relax in the creek near our camp. I could not imagine doing this in any bodies of water back home (Lake Erie is far too dirty) but here the water was clean and drinkable. Amazing! It was cool to the touch but it felt so good to be immersed in it after the day of travel and my many being naked in public, I still wore my bra and panties and my dress, dagger, and boots lay on the shore. Not that anyone could really see me. There was no moon out tonight and the area was delightfully dark. Typically I am not a huge fan of the dark since monsters tend to hide there but tonight it allowed me to feel like I was truly escaping from everyone and everything.

Damn. Perhaps I spoke too soon because I heard the faintest sound of footsteps nearby. They barely brushed through the tall grass that was as high my shoulders, but it was there. As far as I knew the men had all washed up already so us women-folk could have privacy. Not wanting to be jumped I decided to take initiative and swam silently to the shore and ducked under the grass. It was pitch black out so I doubted they could see me unless they really looked. And if they were that close to look they would already be mine. The vibrations in the ground that the footsteps made seemed closer and closer. I crouched and stayed silent in order to use the element of surprise. Most likely the attacker would assume, especially after seeing my clothes on the shore, that I was still in the water.

A figure appeared directly to my right. It was pitch black but I could tell it was a man. I swung my right leg out and swept the intruder off his feet. Landing with a gasp, he braced his feet and hands against the ground and pushed himself up. Simultaneously I sprung into my fighting stance and swung out with the heel of my hand, hoping to crush his nose. My opponent blocked it and I ducked his returning blow. It was so dark under the moonless sky that I had to open my senses and feel the motions of our bodies rather than rely on my sight. I jumped up in a round house kick but he moved amazingly fast, grabbed my ankle, and swung me into the creek.

I possess Slayer strength and agilty, but I prefer to fight on land. Looks like I'm not getting my wish today.

I sunk into the maybe 15 foot water and quickly tried to propel myself up. One I broke free I realized my opponent had dove in after me. Jerking to my right I tried to dodge him but he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me against him, my back against his stomach. "Sofia! Stop it!", he said forcefully.

"What the... Elladan? Dios mio, are you kidding me?" I struggled against his hold but he didn't budge. "Let me go!"

"Perhaps I will, if you stop trying to fight me."

I clearly my throat loudly. "Perhaps I would not fight you if you didn't sneak up on me and attack me!"

Elladan swung me around so I was facing him, but I was still captured by his arms. "I was only trying to make sure you were ok! It is imperative that we never go out alone, none of us."

"Well I am the-"

Elladan cut me off angrily, "Slayer. Yes, I have heard it before. And I am an elf who has seen a few millennia and who his far wiser than you seem to be."

I pushed against him, but he still didn't budge. "EXCUSE me? What, you think you're better than me? I was totally kicking your ass back there."

Even in the darkness I was close enough to see his smirk. "Only because I did not try to fight you Sofia. I could have taken you at any moment."

A shiver ran down my spine and I hoped he thought it was because I was cold, or even better, angry. To have it attributed to its true reason, the way he said my name, the idea of him taking me, and the sudden realization we were both in the creek and I was only in my lingere...Well, that would not be good. His arms were strong and while not large, they were well-defined. My breasts, covered only by my Victoria Secret IPEX wireless bra, were pressed tightly against his chest. He wore a tunic but it was soaked and clung to his pectoral muscles. While at first I thought he was tall and wiry I see now that he was lean and muscled. Oh heaven help me, this is exactly my type.

I snorted and hoped that distracted him. Or at least distract me from the sudden need to wrap my limbs around him. "Puh-lease Senor Elf. I doubt it. And I would appreciate it if you stopped sneaking up on me from now on. Now. If you could let me go so I could get dressed that would be great."

He raised an eyebrow. "Do you need to get dressed now? I think you are fine as are." I glared at him, fiercly concious of my near-nakedness. I will NOT have him so arrogantly kiss my again and continue my silly, girlish obsession. "Sofia, it is custom for elves to swim nude, as the Valar made us. I swear I am trying desperately to not offend you. Again." Although he had apologized, I could sense he was trying to refrain from smirking again. He was still clutching me and as much as I wanted to give in I knew it was better to do the opposite. So I kneed him in the stomach, not terribly hard, but hard enough to surprise him into letting me go.

"As I have said before, I can take care of myself Elladan. Sweet dreams." With those parting words I swam out, threw on my dress, and walked back to camp feeling pretty satisfied with myself.


	10. 2 Truths, 1 Lie

**Chapter 10: 2 Truths, 1 Lie**

Although I had told Elladan sweet dreams, I was the one who ended up having some pretty amazing dreams. Lets just say they involved me, Elladan, whipped cream, and some cheese. I'm actually not quite sure why there was cheese, but it was there.

Regardless of my dreams, I awoke feeling quite rested. I arose even before everyone else and decided to go out for an early morning jog. It would be a bit hard to manage jogging in my boots (the same boots I wore morning, day, and bloody night), but I made do with what I had. For whatever reason I awoke feeling energetic and more positive than the previous days. An incredible sunrise sprang up as I stretched outside my tent. Its rays stretched over the earth and brightened my mood as much as it did the sky. How can I stay upset when viewing the miracle that is the sun rise?

No one else seemed awake yet so, after making sure my dagger was sheathed in my boots, I began jogging. I learned a long time ago that if you want to work out any part of your body, it should be your legs. They come in handy when you are chasing down the Big Bad... Or running away from it.

Arwen had acquired some of the men's clothing, a tunic and rather comfy leggings. All the clothing was the color of soil, which was good if I needed to hunt, but not my favorite color. Wearing something almost the color of your skin is a fashion no-no. My former boyfriend Erik once described me having "creamy caramel skin, delicious chocolate brown eyes, and lips the tint of sweet strawberries". Not that there isn't truth to those words, but I teased him at the time for just being hungry; although flowery words like that were expected since Erik is a poet.

Well... Was a poet.

I shook my head and tried to clear my thoughts of him. If only I could go housewife on my brain and scrub clean all thoughts and memories of him.

Quickly I finished my stretching and began jogging out of the camp. What a feeling! Running opposite of the sun I could feel the fledging rays of light warm up my back. The air had that crisp feeling all late summer mornings have and it was rich with the scent of leaves and grass. My heart started pounding as I let myself fly across a meadow that was covered with tall, dry, and yellowed grass. Wisps of the grass slapped against my legs but I kept pushing myself. Faster and faster. I wanted to lose myself in the beautiful surroundings; to forget everything that was on my mind. Today I promised myself I would start anew. These past few days my life had been spiraling downward and dammit! Today I was going to take control of it. If I had a problem, I would fix it. No more worrying about being stuck here, I would carpe diem and figure out a way.

After running for 30 minutes I decided to make my way back to camp and was running along the creek when I saw Amras stringing up some fish. He waved as I approached and I decided to help him carry his items. Its a bit of a shame that I haven't had a chance to interact with Amras too much. I'm not clear on the details (do Rangers have an organizational chart?) but it seemed Amras was Aragorn's second in command. While Aragorn looked to be in his early 40s, Amras looked to be in his early 30s. Now that he and the other Rangers had an opportunity to bathe laste night in the creek I could see that he was a fairly attractive. Shaggy dark brown hair descended to his wide shoulders and dark stubble covered the lower portion of his face. Startling emerald eyes stood out against his dark features and his thin lips seemed to be permanently smiling. Built like a football player he was at least 6'4 and seemed to flex muscles whenever he moved. Overall, he had that rugged look that many girls prefer; its likely his ever present sword also attributed to that.

"Good morning Sofia. What have you been up to so early?"

Ceasing my run right in front of him I replied, "Just out for a run. Typically at home I go running every morning and I'm afraid being here has thrown me off schedule."

A frown of concern appeared when he stated, "Yes. I imagine being here has been pretty hard for you. How are you faring?"

Taken by surprise at his concern a smile wove its way into my features. "I fare well," came the automatic response. Seeing his raised eyebrow I elaborated. "Well ok, being here is not all hugs and bunnies. But I woke up today with a new attitude; carpe diem, which means 'sieze the day'. I'm not sure how I'm going to get back, but I am going to. Soon. Also, would you like help with the fish?"

Quickly his smile returned. "Oh yes, that would be great." He handed me a string of fish on a line and we began walking back to camp. "I'm glad to hear of your new attitude. Aragorn and I were afraid you might want to run away after that event with Elladan."

Oh my God. They know about the kiss! Or... "What event?"

Chuckling he gestured back to the creek. "Elladan told Elrohir, Aragorn, and I about how you attacked him at the creek last night. Apparently you thought he was an intruder and tried to battle him".

I wrinkled my nose in distaste. "Hmm. Not tried, I did battle him. In fact, he is quite lucky that I held back! He could have gotten seriously injured sneaking up on me like that."

The chuckle turning into a howl of laughter he added, "Oh yes. He told us what you did, we were sorry to have missed it!"

Worry crept into the back of my mind. "Oh, what did he tell you?"

"Just that he was trying to check in on you but you had just dressed and attacked him from the brush. Apparently you kicked him a few times and almost broke his nose. Hilarious!"

Relief flooded my head. Thank God he didn't tell them I was half-naked. That was almost gentlemanly of him."Oh yeah, it was definitely hilarious." Sensing an investigative opportunity I continued. "Have you known Elladan long?"

"Hmm. Well I have been traveling with the Rangers for about 30 years. The Sons of Elrond frequently accompany us in our pursuits."

I contemplated that. Either my math was wrong, or... "Wait. You've been a Ranger for 30 years? But... you look only 30! Either you were some hot-shot baby, or...", I trailed off.

Amras' smile reached his sparkling green eyes when he answered. "Not all of the humans live as long as us. We are the Dunedain and are descended from the kings of Gondor. Long ago our line was forged between an elf and a human whose children and children's children live longer than most. Our line has dwindled in number due to inter-marriages and battles but we are committed to protecting the areas of Mddle-Earth that we swore to protect long ago."

"Wow. That sounds so..."

"Intruiging? Admirable? Desirable?" He looked down at me and wiggled his eyebrows as he said each word and I laughed along.

"Actually, that sounds pretty cool. Long life; thats always enviable. Slayers have pretty short life-spans, although that has been changing."

We had made it back to camp where Amras and I dropped off the fish to the cook to prepare them for breakfast. "A short life span, how so?"

Exhausted, I layed on the grass before I began to speak again. My brusies were mostly gone by now (yay Slayer powers!) but I was still sore and desired rest. "Basically, its a really long story. First it begn when a group of ancient men gave a young girl powers. She was the Chosen One, the one to fight back the darkness that plagued the lands. Hard thing was, only one girl in all the world could be the Slayer. Girls came into age in their teens and rarely survived them. Fighting demons and vampires is no easy task and some girls fell within the first week while others would last a few years. But in the end they all died. No one can fight forever.

But five years ago that changed due to a powerful witch, my friend Willow. Whereas before there were potential slayers, girls who were potential candidates to become slayers when the current Slayer died, she changed it so all potential slayers became slayers. Through an heirloom of our line she transferred the power to all of us. Now there are hundreds of us fighting. Its possible now for a Slayer to retire and cease fighting. But it hasn't happened yet. Even with the increased numbers girls are still dying. Evil creatures don't fight fair and sometimes I can't help but wonder how long I will last. I've been lucky living as a Slayer for five years and hope I'll make it to thirty, but I doubt it."

"Ay, all of the Dunedain must fight and do, regardless of danger. It is hard on our families but we must perform our duty. While I accept my plight, you seem so... So matter of fact about it. So resigned to accepting death at a young age. Why is this?"

My evasive laugh came out; the laugh I do when someone hits too close to home to be comfortable. I gestured to the sky and the sun. "The sky is blue and the sun must set. It is the way of things. There is no way to change it, thus we must accept it as fact."

Amras looked at my face with pity in his face. "It breaks my heart to hear you speak like this. Though we are not well-acquainted I dislike that you have resigned yourself to this. I am sure you are a superior fighter and can outlast all your fellow warriors if desired. I worry that by accepting your death you invite it as well. Please consider that."

I really hated being pitied. However, I did understand his perspective. It is one Vi has given me several times. Looking him dead in the eye I responded, "I like to think of myself as a realist, Amras. It keeps me focused and able to keep going night after night into the darkness. If I wanted to live long I would become a banker; ya know, someone that deals with the money." Amras nodded, as though he accepted what I had to say but his eyes still held that tell-tale concern.

"Anyways, I'm going to wash up! It was good to talk to you Amras."

"You as well, Sofia."

******************************************************

Only a few hours awaited until twilight set in and dinner was almost prepared. Today's travels went the same as yesterday and Arwen and I had an enjoyable time. I keep forgetting her age because she's so full of life and laughter. Its amusing that I have a difficult time talking to older people my grand-parent's age, but have no problem connecting with someone older than Christianity.

Camp had been drawn up into a circle and guards patrolled outside. This is normal procedure for the Rangers but I heard they were stepping it up since past disturbances occurred in this area. The Rangers slept outside but they provided a tent for Arwen to have privacy as the only female and I had taken to staying with here. Towards the center of camp lay the fire that was busy roasting tasty fish. This is where I sat cross-legged rubbing my tender feet which were still sore from running in those damned boots this morning. The camp was a bustle of activity as everyone was busy preparing for sleep or dinner or security. Arwen was helping Cecilan, the cook, with the fish. She had invited me to join but I assured her that unless she wished harm upon the Rangers she would have me stay away from the food. The last time I cooked it was puerto rican rice and I completely burned the bottom inch and set off the smoke alarm.

Amras stretched out beside me and said teasingly, "What's wrong with your feet, Sofia? Don't tell me you got hurt with all that riding in the wagon you did today?" While we travelled today I had spent some time with Amras at the front of the wagon. Apparently we were on joking terms, which I was ok with. Almost made me feel like I was home.

Smacking him on the stomach he did an exaggerated groan and covered up the spot where I hit him. "Nobody likes a smartass Amras."

"Ah yes, I can see why you are so feared in your world. Is that called your Tummy Slap of Doom?"

I grinned and recollected a 3 Stoges moment. "Eh, so yous a wise guy eh?" I whistled as I pulled his nose and cracked up laughing.

Aragorn stepped over with the twins. All looked befuddled. "What was that?", asked a confused Amras. I proceeded to explain the 3 Stooges but sadly only Amras appreciated it. The others looked at me like I was crazy.

"Once again, may I say that your culture seems oh-so rich", smirked the twin that I could assume was Elladan. I threw a twig at him and told him to be quiet. I was still reluctant to interact with him thanks to that moment last night... The moment that I am sure meant nothing to him.

The call for dinner was made and we set up our dinners and once again Aragorn, Arwen, the twins, Amras, and I sat together. Gandalf had left unexpectantly after lunch on a borrowed horse. I was sad to see him go but he said he had wizards business to attend to. As for the membership of the dinner group, I think this was sort of their leadership meeting. General discussion on the progress to Lothlorien headed up the conversation. It was hoped by them, and me, that Lady Galadirel could assist me. Apparently she had some amazing powers and some mirror that allowed glimpses into the future. Hopefully that would work (Wait, I promised myself I'd be positive- It WILL work). Aragorn estimated we could make it there in 6 days time.

Sitting around observing these six new people in my life I realized the only one I really knew was Arwen and still I only had gotten to know her over the last 2 days. Remembering a fun drinking game from college I thought I would propose it. "Hey guys. This may sound kind of silly, but if I'm traveling with people I like to know them a little bit. I was wondering if you might be interested in a game?"

Laughing, Arwen nodded eagerly. "I am always a fan of games, as our most of my kind. What do you have in mind Sofia?"

Drawing out my first word I said, "Well, its something I learned at school. Often its a drinking game, but it doesn't have to be. Its very simple. Its called 2 Truths and a Lie. Essentially, we take turns telling three things about ourselves. Two of the stories must be true and one must be a lie. Once someone tells their stories the rest of us have to guess and whoever guesses correctly wins that round. Any questions?" I saw none, but the men didn't seem as excited as Arwen and I. Well, guess some things don't change; my guy friends never liked this game at first either. "Great! Now I know you all know each other pretty damn well, so you need to choose stories no one can guess! Who wants to go first?"

Arwen volunteered to go first. " When I was a child I used to spy on Glorfindel and used to pretend we were married. I even wrote his name and mine in the bark of an elm tree. Second, once as a youth I hid my father's favorite book because I thought it was too boring and he read it all the time. And once I jumped off a cliff into a lake 100 feet below me."

"The last one!", offered Elladan. "You're afraid of heights!"

"Hmmph. I hope the first one", added Aragorn.

"Hiding the book!", I shouted eagerly.

Smiling mysteriously, Arwen pointed to me. "You are correct!" Seeing the looks of the others she explained. "Yes, I'm afraid of heights *now*, after jumping off that. As for Gorfindel, I was only 40 Aragorn!" With that she started laughing and I joined in her infectious laughter.

Aragorn winked at the twins. "Looks like I better keep a good eye on Glorfindel. Good thing we're taking you away from Imladris."

"Your turn Sofia!", said Arwen.

"One, I'm an amazing dancer and won a salsa dance contest 2 years ago. Two, to kill a bunch of evil vampires I burned down my school. Three, at a school talent show I performed, and *totally* should have won when I burped my ABCs."

"Oh no, you definitely seem too eager about number 3, thats it", voted Arwen.

"Your body moves beautifully, I believe the first one", murmered Elladan. Either no one noticied or he just said things like that all the time. That look in his eyes though... It was slightly dangerous.

"Yup, I'm going with number 3", chimed in Amras.

"Wow... Is that what you all think?" They nodded and then I laughed gleefully. "Tricked you! Usually longer stories are lies, but I really did burp my ABCs. Its what happens when you have a ton of males in your family." We all laughed and Aragorn scooted away from me in pretend embarrasment. "I am a pretty awesome dancer, I *love* to dance and did win a competition. But I did not burn down a school. My mentor, the Slayer Buffy Summers, did when she first became the Slayer, but not me." They all groaned since they were wrong.

"So what is this form of dance you are accomplished in", questioned Elrohir.

Pondering, I tried to think how to explain it to them. "It comes from the Caribbean, which is south if the country I live in but the home of my ancestors. Sensual and lively is usually how its described and brass instruments accompany it."

Arwen clapped her hands like a kid excited about going on their first rollercoaster. "Please show us Sofia! I've heard you talk about dance a few times and we would love to see something from your homeland."

I mock pretended my contemplation. "Well... Ok!", I said gleefully. "I really do love to dance, but it will be hard to show you without music and by myself. But I love sharing my love for salsa." I proceeded to do the basic steps and explained along the way. "Salsa is a quest of dominance and desire. First the man takes one step forward and the woman goes back on her opposite foot and vice-versa. Side-stepping is another form as well. Of course, there are tons of turns, but its kinda hard to show you by myself." I shrugged and smiled sheepisly. One-person salsa steps are not fun to watch.

"Well thats an easy problem to solve, just teach one of the men and then show us." Arwen beamed, pleased with her problem-solving ability.

Meanwhile I cringed internally at where this could lead. I started to say "Oh no, thats not necessary" when Elladan answered "I would be interested in learning this foreign dance."

My eyes sort of jumped out of their sockets as I struggled to process. Arwen jumped on it by saying "Excellant! Maybe you could show us at tomorrow's dinner a whole dance?"

Trying to retain my inner calm I tipped my head to one side in a show of contemplation while I inwardly counted to three. "Of course," I smiled. "That is, if Elladan can be quicker on the uptake than he was last night getting beat by me." The men guffawed while us girls giggled.

Smiling wryly at me, Elladan counter. "I assure you that I can learn very well if my teacher is up to it." The others laughed a bit more as we looked at each other. Was it just me or was there some innuendo there I was missing. My musings were interruppted by a horn sounding and the cry of a guard. "Orcs! Orcs are attacking!"


	11. DancingtotheCadenceofaFrantic Heartbeat

**Chapter 11- Dancing to the Cadence of a Frantic Heartbeat**

The look-out guard continued his shouting "Orcs to the East! At least 40 and several wargs!"

Aragorn began firing out commands as the men moved into formation. Surveying our group I saw, including myself, we numbered 23 to their 41. Not to mention there were some wargs, whatever the fuck those were. One thing's for sure, I doubt they were anything I would have a tea party with.

I smiled to myself. Wouldn't it be nice if the forces of good and evil could just talk out their differences over a tea party whilst wearing bonnets and holding stuffed dolls?

Aragorn continued issuing instructions. We had laid camp in the only place we could- In the middle of a meadow that gave no cover. " Half circle formation! Seven men center and five men on each side!" Glancing over at me he demanded "Protect Arwen. Orcs would love nothing more than to capture a female elf." I nodded in acknowledgement. While I may spurn authority I understood the need of it in battle.

A gleaming sword was handed to me, hilt up. Looking up I saw a fierce look line Elian's fine features. "Your dagger will not fare well against these creatures, Vampire Slayer. The wargs especially are large, loathsome animals. Do take care."

Our hands brushed against each other as I took the sword and I felt something akin to a static shock travel from my fingertips to the base of my neck. I glanced into his stormy grey eyes. "Thank you," I said demurely; not wanting to draw attention to whatever happened.

I stood by Arwen's side as the war cries of the orcs drew ever closer. No battle wallflower, Arwen had her own sword in hand and the gleam in her eye told me she could hold her own in a fight.

Suddenly they were on us. Large wolf-like creatures, the wargs I assume, bounded at us with a surprising ferocity. Built like horses in the shape of a wolf, there were 3 of them and each carried a sword-wielding orc. I had almost forgotten how disgusting those goblin creatures were. Strands of hair hung limply from their head, their bodies were the color of coal, and their skin glistened like an amphibian. All too well I knew that black slime was almost impossible to get out of clothing. Luckily I was still dressed in the men's garb of a tunic and leggings.

Although the Rangers had a good formation, the battle was becoming chaotic, like all battles are. Warriors hewed their swords heavily like butchers but with the finesse of a dancer. In truth, all battles are a dance of some form or another. The cadence is to the beat of your frantic heart, the music is the cries of the wounded, and the dance is intricate and intimate. Unlike most dances, if your rhythm is off then your life may be forfeit.

Back to back Arwen and I fought 2 orcs who must have thought our frail female bodies made us easy targets. Ha. Fools.

Blades clanged in the air as my opponent tried to make headway. I whispered to Arwen "Move to your right when I say." As my orc tried to deliver a death blow that would have stabbed me in the stomach I shouted "Right!" and I moved to my right as well. My orc managed to stab her orc just as he was attacking Arwen and I then lopped off my orca's head with a victory cry.

Caught up in that deathblow I failed to notice a warg coming straight at me until Elladan yelled "Sofia!". I slid onto my back as the warg's teeth gnashed in the air where I had been standing. Without hesitation I thrust my blade deep into its neck and the hefty beast collapsed on me. Air knocked out of my chest, I found my limbs trapped under the great beast. Even my head was held down, although my left eye could rove over the land.

That left eye spied the black sole of an orc before me and I did what any weaponless, defenseless girl would do. I screamed. Unfortunately, that scream was cut short as the dirty cabron kicked me in the temple. My eye misted over as the drummer boy set up shop in my skull. Struggling to release another scream before I lost consciousness, I saw that black foot come towards me again.

It was the last thing I saw.


	12. Dream Walking with Willow

**Chapter 12- Dream Walking with Willow**

Overhead dark storm clouds were carried quickly by the winds and the rolling thunder announced the presence of the lightning. The static air seemed to swell with power and the hair on my arms stood in salute. In every direction all I could see was a sea of green grass darkened by lack of light. This place was not unknown to me. It has been used as a meeting place in many of my dreams; the place where my brain seeks shelter from everything else that is going on.

There was no need to look beside me. I knew she was there.

"If you know I am here, shouldn't ya hug me or something?"

Turning to my redheaded friend, my mentor, my (at times) savior, I greeted her with a hug and a smile. Pulling back I grabbed each of her shoulders. "Willow. Its not that I'm not glad to see you. I am. It's just... You have a trend of walking in my dreams to only deliver bad news."

Grinning goofily and turning her eyes upward she replied. "No, silly. That was always Angel's job. Please don't say I'm like Angel."

Chuckling, I returned her smile. "I've never had the pleasure of meeting Angel, but I have heard enough stories. A bit more dream walking and you may be cryptic-gal. Now, what is your cryptic message?"

"You have been gone for two days and in that ti-"

"Wait, only two days? I've been here four!"

She shrugged apologetically. "I'm assuming time moves quicker in this dimension."

"Great, so by the time I get out I'll be an old lady and you all will still look the same?"

"Hey now. Hold your horses, missy. We don't have much time."

"Sorry, please go ahead."

Willow frowned. "Since your disappearance there have been more stories of portals opening up to a new world. Research has pointed to a text describing a land called Middle-Earth written by a prophet named Tolkien. We don't have the text yet, but that is how I found you; by using my magic to located the Middle-Earth dimension. Anyways, we have no idea who is opening these portals but there have been some black, small demons sputtering forth-"

"Orcs, they are called orcs."

"Regardless, we have no idea what their purpose is until a few hours ago. It appears a man, a sorcerer of some sort, is looking for a Master Vampire and one who can trace his lineage to the beginning"

Looking at her incredulously I said, "But that is impossible! Are there any masters that old and with a pedigree chart?"

Willow looked off into the distance for a moment and then back at me. Her red strands swirled around her as the wind became more violent. "After all the stuff I've seen over the last twelve years, anything can happen. I wanted to contact you to let you know what you may be up against. We're working on a way to bring you back but its kinda hard finding the right 'address', so to speak." Willow began to waver in front of me, a sign the communication was breaking up.

"Please hurry Willow. The Big Bad here is after me and," I gulped once I realized I had been knocked unconscious and may awake beside a friend or foe.

Smiling that trademark smile she opened her mouth to speak, but wavered out and disappeared like a bad TV connection.

Viewing the dreamscape the thunder rolled again and rain began pouring from the sky like an open wound.

But it wasn't rain. Like an open wound, blood rained down from the clouds. Warm, sticky liquid covered me until I looked like Carrie. But it wasn't pig's blood. It was human.

I screamed.


	13. Tortured by a Graveyard Pimp Daddy

**Chapter 13- Tortured by a Graveyard Pimp Daddy**

I could feel blood running down my face from the cut on my temple. I tried to still myself so no attention was drawn to me, but it was difficult. Metal handcuffs attached to the ceiling clasped each wrist tightly. My ankles were also bound by iron cuffs attached to the floor. My tiny frame stretched between the ceiling and floor almost to the breaking point. Each tendon, each muscle screamed in agonizing pain from the stretching and, most likely, the beating I'm sure my captors delivered.

Silent cries built up in my throat but I shoved them back down. Interestingly enough, my throat felt raw. Which meant that I had already been tortured and had forgotten it or I had screamed in my sleep? Either way, those are not good tactics to getting out of here alive.

I tried to open my left eye but it refused to budge. Dried blood lay over the left side of my face and I could only assume I was so going to need a make-over after this escapade.

My right eye felt okay and I slowly peered out of it. Through a bleary eye I searched the room for details. Clearly we were in a torture chamber. The walls and floor were made of stone and numerous 'toys' lined a table to my right. No windows were visible and the only way out seemed a wooden door twenty feet in front of me.

Flexing my hands to test the handcuffs I almost wanted to start crying. Intense pain traveled from my right wrist down my arm. Clearly that was broken during battle. Or after.

Testing the other holds I realized the iron was strong and new; there was no way to break myself out. Not to mention, my strength was waning quickly. Ugh! I jerked my chains, angry at my confinement.

An amused chuckle came from behind me. Instantly I stiffened, but the damage was done. My assailant knew I was awake. Fuck. I am *really* not big on torture; I don't even do that S&M bondage crap. Fuck!

"Oh please, do not pretend to be asleep on my account. That is rather boring. In fact, why don't you jerk around a little more." I fervently tried to twist so I could see the owner of that cold, dark voice. "MMM... yes, that is exciting. I can smell your fear."

Damned coward kept his face hidden behind me. "You smell my fear? Are you sure that's not your rank odor? I mean, damn! Don't none y'all shower round here?"

"Ah yes, I heard tales of the bravado of Slayers. Always fighting to the last. That's alright though. I like the fighting." I heard footfalls on the stone floor and my attacker turned in front of me, his blue eyes blazing into my brown ones. "Yes," he murmered. "The ones that fight are so much more fun. So much fun to break, to make them cry out for pain, to make them beg for their own life to end. Even better," he leered at me, "is when I make them forget their own name and purpose in this world. Until they are nothing but a broken thing."

I looked him up and down. He was tall, maybe six foot, but wiry. Blond curls lay matted on his head like he had just taken off a helmet. A grand black robe lay over his shoulders and his bony, pale hand grasped a cane. Not your granddaddy's type of cane neither, it was made of solid bone. Bone to what, I had no clue.

I spat at him. "Who the fuck are you?," my voice rasped. "You look like some graveyard pimp daddy. Surprised you don't have a fedora, cabron." I wet my lips. It hurt to speak.

Yanking my lips up, a slight maniacal gleam shone in his eye for an instant. When it left so did his hands on my lips. "Such pretty lips," he purred. "I'm sure we could find other uses for them than spitting and cursing."

"You didn't answer my question, pendejo. Who the FUCK are you?"

"I am your nightmare manifested." With a final look he walked out of the room.

"Does that mean you're Celin Dion and I'm stuck drowning in the Titanic with you?", I called after him. Obviously my captor had also watched crappy TV movies while he did Slayer research, because that was the lamest line of my life.

Grumbling to myself I tried to asses my injuries. My left eye was messed up, my right wrist was broken, bruises covered me, and 3 long fairly deep cuts ran diagonally across stomach. Graveyard Pimp Daddy or one his lackeys took my shirt and boots off leaving me clad in my sufficiently ruined Vicky's Secret bra (blood stains are *so* hard to get out) and leggings. As in my dream, I resembled Carrie with blood covering my body. Ew.

Mentally, I felt pretty alert so hopefully my head injuries weren't too extreme. Now... How the hell do I get out of here? My iron chains seemed strong enough to hold me, at least in this weakened state. Not to mention, I have no idea where I am.

Gasping out loud, I wondered if anyone else had been captured. Oh no! What if they have Arwen or Amras or... Elladan. My stomach knotted in worry. After the story Arwen told me about her mother I knew I could never let the same thing happen to her. I would not let her become a broken thing. Graveyard Pimp Daddy seemed like a sick muthafucker and I had no doubt any prisoner of his would endure torture and most likely rape.

I winced at my predicament. There was no way Graveyard Pimp Daddy was going to touch me again. I would see him dead first. The thought of him trying to, as he threatened, have my mouth used for another purpose made me sick. It's horrible that women often undergo rape when captured; nothing is more disturbing than the thought of being taken by force.

As I contemplated escape strategies, my new friend walked through the door followed by an orc. "Ganash, please meet our new guest, the Vampire Slayer," he stated with his thin lips curving into a menacing smile.

"I likes our new guest, yes. Mmm." The vile orc licked his lips. "Looks good for eating, this one."

Graveyard Pimp Daddy glared down at Ganash and even I could feel the power in it. "She is not," he spat out, "for you to eat. She must be kept intact for the Mistress Herald."

"Who's this mistress of yours?," I demanded, my face hardened in my best 'Don't fuck with me' look.

Both of them cackled, which is really the best word to describe the sounds they made. The orc's laughter was high-pitched like a pre-pubescent boy and the Graveyard Pimp Daddy's was low.

"You are a spirited thing, indeed. Don't worry, you don't need to know about the Mistress right now. I want to see the fear, shock, and awe in your face when the Mistress presents herself to you and feasts on your blood." He rubbed his hands eagerly, like Monty Burns in the Simpsons.

"But," he continued, "I do have some time before I must open the next portal so I suppose its time for a little bit of fun!"

"Portal? What portal?"

He backhanded me across the mouth. "I'll be asking the questions around here."

Mockingly, I repeated that back at him. "I'll be asking the questions around here. Oh my god, could you be any more lame? Jeez, who are you? Mr. TV Villain of the Month?Loooooser!"

"Ganash." After saying his name was said, Ganash shoved a 3-inch knife into my right shoulder. Out of surprise I screamed. My vision clouded for a moment; I was already past my pain threshold with my other injuries. Both of those cabrones cackled again and I wanted to seriously kick their ass. "Ooh, that sounded painful. Was it?" In reply I just glared at him through my slitted right eye. "Excellent. Because I am going to ask you a series of questions and I want some answers. First, why were you with the Dunedain and the Rivendell elves?"

I gasped out "Water" to kill some time.

Graveyard Pimp Daddy gestured and Ganash returned with some water that he dripped down my lips. My nose hairs practically burned off from being so close to the foul being.

"Now, answer my question."

I decided in this case the truth would not hurt. "I fell through a portal, thanks to your dumbass I bet, while fighting a fell beast. I don't know who the Dunedain or Rivendell folks are, but the people I was with found me when I came through."

"Did Dregos capture you? What happened to him?"

"Dregos?" I pretended to ponder. "Oh, you mean that ugly motherfucker that kidnapped me? He's dead."

Graveyard Pimp Daddy grabbed the tip of the knife Ganash left in my shoulder and twisted it. I tried to be strong, really, but waves of pain threatened to pull me under their red tide. I whimpered silently, ashamed of my weakness. Never before in my five years had I been tortured and it Really. Fucking. Sucked.

"That was for my brother you foul witch," he hissed.

Gasping, I replied. "I had fought him, but he died by some invisible choking force. Bitch! I even tried to save him through mouth-to-mouth. Fuck! That hurts."

Leaning back, he appraised me for a minute. "Then he died out of his own foolishness. With that poison he should have safely delivered you to the Dark Lord."

"Who? You mean Saucer?"

Another backhand broke the flesh of my lip and blood trickled out. I really should stop being a smart-ass, I know it results in pain, but even minor rebellion makes me feel as though I still have power in this situation.

"You will never dare speak ill of my Master Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor."

"I'm sorry, is he your boyfriend?"

Graveyard Pimp Daddy pulled the knife out of my shoulder slowly and more bits of muscle were torn in the process. Ganash shrieked with laughter at the sound of my groan. "I am Mavlar, the Dark Lord's faithful servant and Mystic. You will show some respect little girl." He turned his head slightly, as if he heard something I could not. "Ganash. Please ensure your guards take special care of our little guest. It is time for me to leave." Mavlar turned back to me. The flickering lights of the two torches highlighted the concaves of his thin cheeks and he looked like a diseased man. "It'll be time soon enough, Slayer."

With that he left again, leaving me with Ganash who leered at me hungrily.


	14. First Name ImmaMiddle:GunnaLast:Killya

**Chapter 14- First Name: Imma. Middle Name: Gunna. Last name: Killya**

The orc Ganash stepped towards me eagerly and bit his lip in excitement. "Oi, nows we have to keep you intact, but I thinks the Mavlar won't mind if us boys have a bit of fun with ya first." He was close enough to touch, or would be if I wasn't locked down like a mental patient. Ganash trailed his fingers down the left side of my face. "Mavlar said we need to keep you full of delicious blood so no cutting. Best we get a bit creative." A high laugh rang out. " But how should we go bouts to doing that?"

Black devil eyes bore into my brown ones. "Well, why don't you ask the other orcs, or are they too busy torturing the other prisoners?"

Ganash opened his mouth in a wide smile that displayed darkly tinted, sharp teeth. "Nay, all of m'boys will be focusing on you tonight since the other cells are empty. So they've got lots of time."

Mentally, I cheered. Yes! At least my other friends were not captured and forced to submit to these monsters. And it lent the possibility of rescue. My inner self did a happy dance.

"Aw, now ain't that a shame. What's the matter, was I the only one your lame soldiers could capture? Because I was stuck under your dead dog? How pathetic."

Twirling a 5-inch blade between his fingers, Ganash snorted. "We coulda taken them all if need be, trust me on that."

"Yeah right."

"Listen here. My men would have and could have taken them all if it wasn't Mavlar's orders to get you and get out."

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner ladies and gentlemen!

"Please, like your kind could beat freaking elves and kidnap me without them figuring it out and finding us."

A squeal of laughter came from my knife-wielding enemy. "Oi, I don't like magickal things, it makes me feel all tingly, but they serve their purpose. Mavlar's fog tricked the elves and men. Never will they find you now my sweet, you are all ours." Shouting down the hallway he called for another orc named Shagrat. He was just as ugly to behold with a large , crooked nose that appeared to have been broken at least twice and thin wisps of black hair that crept beneath his helmet.

"Shagrat, I was just telling our prisoner how I can't be shedding her blood and I need to be creative to make her cry in pain. Would you like to help me with this dreadful problem?" Both orcs snickered.

"Oho! What is the name of this tasty little morsel?"

Grimacing, I replied. "First name: Imma. Middle name: Gunna. Last name: Killya."

A confusion expression crossed Shagrat's face. "Imma Gunna Killya doesn't sound like an Edain''s name."

Ganash smacked Shagrat on the back of the head. "Idiot! 'Course that's not her name. Imma Gunna Killya- She said she was going to kill you, you brainless sack of bones!"

Shagrat growled at Ganash and turning to me, he yanked my long brown curls back. "What's yer real name, witch?"

"My name is Indigo Montoyez and I am here to kill you." I grinned at my use of a Princess Bride quote. Hey, when it comes to laughing or crying, I will choose laughter any day.

Ganash crept up to me, as a predator approaches his prey. "Well then Indigo, its time to scream."

And for the next few hours, I did.

****************************************************************************

I've only met one person who has died and come back to life. Buffy Summers. She said she was gone too soon the first time to remember anything and the second time... Well she never discussed it with us. But she did say there was a heaven.

Part of me wished fervently I was there.

Theorizing that breaking my bones and an assortment of other methods would not cause me to bleed, Ganash and Shagrat experimented on their theory. True, I didn't bleed much so I suppose those pinche muthafuckers must be fairly bright for their vile kind. Bloody points for them.

My consciousness hovered and threatened once again to dive back to the abyss of nothingness. I was vaguely aware that those fucking cabron orcs were gone, but who knew when they would return. Pain blocked out any rational thinking. All I knew was pain. Bright red pain. Even if I was released, there was no way I could fight my way out. My entire right foot- ankle, foot, toes, was broken. For the first time, I wanted to give in. I wanted death to greet me. Take me away from this world! This world of pain and torture. When I die, another will be called. My sisters will continue the fight. Life will go on as normal as they fight back the forces of darkness. I am not needed.

If only I could be an elf and will myself to fade as Arwen had told me.

Arwen. Elladan. I awakened slightly thinking of my new friends. Well, Elladan may not be a 'friend', but he was something to me. Obviously whatever Sauron is planning is bad. Really bad. Who knows who this mistress is. I need to tell them. I breathed in deeply, only to have another flash of pain return due to at least one broken rib. Ah, maybe death, maybe heaven, would not be such a bad idea. They said my purpose here was to feed some Mistress Herald. If I die now, then she will not get fed. Perhaps that could make a difference for my friends.

"Don't die!" Like a dream, the first lesson of being a Slayer whispered in my mind. What am I thinking? Pain is temporary. I can survive this. If only I could get out.

Wait. Thinking about wanting to die makes me think I *could* die. Not really die, just enter into a trance and slow my breathing and heart rate until it appears I am dead. The orcs weren't supposed to kill me and maybe, just maybe, if they thought I was dead I could at least get released from here. Maybe even thrown in the garbage. They would not want to receive the fury of Mavlar, a clearly evil being who came to terms with his brother's death when he realized it came as a fault of his failure.

I've done this technique several times before once I had learned in at a temple in Thailand. Doing it there was even harder due to the thin atmosphere of the mountain.

Not sure how long I had until my assailants returned, I entered the trance.

I took each piece of pain from each wound and shoved it into a mental compartment. Then I began thinking of tranquil things. It was hard to think of something, especially as the pain compartments threatened to open. My mind searched my memories for something relaxing. Which is hard when you spend your life fighting demons.

Like before, my thoughts returned to Elladan. At once I felt my trance gaining momentum as I found my tranquil zone. I did not think of what he was to me or I to him, I just focused on him. Mentally I gazed at into his clear grey eyes and thought of the times I saw those eyes filled with protectiveness, amusement, and attraction. Within my daydream I caressed his smooth, pale face that seemed to shine with inner light. While in real life I would never dare, in my daydream I ran my index finger over the tip of his ear. Allowing myself my daydream, I leaned into his embrace where I felt the warm fuzzies often associated with a new crush. He stoked my hair reassuringly and whispered sweet nothings in his native language that sounded so beautiful to me. We swayed to an unheard music and with my ear pressed against his chest, his heartbeat led my footsteps.

At the same time, in another compartment of my mind I could feel the success of my trance. As before, my body was slowing and I would appear dead to the world. I continued my internal dance with Elladan whose strong arms kept me pressed against him, as he had in the creek.

Dimly, I could sense that my tormentors had returned. I stayed in my trance with Elladan but kept a small window of my mind open so I could understand what they were going to do. Their voices sounded far off, but I could hear them.

"Oh pretty little Indigo, we have returned!" Fucking Shagrat. I *really* hate him.

"Oi, did you fall asleep now? Well that's no fun. 'Spose we'll have to wake you up, little witch." The pendejo Ganash shook me violently. My pain threatened to leave its hidden compartments, but the trance held.

"What the? You killed her Ganash!"

"Wha-... You insolent meatbag! I didn't kill her!" Ganash's hot, foul breath was on my face as he tried to determine if I was alive. I felt his fingers on my chest and then my throat. "Shagrat!" His voice rang out in both fear and anger. "You scurvy fool! You've killed her, ya have! Mavlar will have your head for this!" The sound of a sword being drawn out echoed off the stone walls.

Another sword was pulled out and Shagrat began arguing with Ganash. "You were here too! And you're in charge! It's just as much your fault, if not more, that she's dead!"

Growling, I felt Ganash place space between him and Shagrat. "Alright, here's what we're going to do. We'll blame her death on that idiot Rensha below. We'll say Rensha ate her and hide her body. Understood?"

"Understood."

"Good, let's unchain her and throw her in that sack over there. We'll carry her above on the back staircase."

Vaguely, I could feel myself being unchained. Promptly, I fell to the floor like... Well, like a dead body. In the back of my brain I continued dancing with Elladan. Everything is going according to plan, I mustn't mess it up.

One of them threw me in a sack and I bounced as they ran up the stairs. Instantly I could taste something other than blood, the sweet, fresh smell of the open air. If I wasn't pretending to be dead I would have probably fainted from happiness.

We traveled for twenty minutes and the two remained silent. Likely they did not want to attract any attention. When I surmised we reached our destination I was thrown on the freshly rained ground and I heard the two begin digging. Excitement at being out threatened to overthrow my trance, but fear of being discovered tampered it down.

Within ten minutes I was thrown into a shallow hole in the ground and they covered me up with dirt and left. Now, this was a frightening prospect. Yay for being out of the clutches of orcs, but nay on the grave suffocation bit. If I continued my trance, I would not need much air and possibly could dig myself out. Except my body felt limp like a wet noodle and I didn't know how I could harness the strength to dig myself out.

I continued to trance for at least ten minutes and pondered. Perhaps since I had compartmentalized the pain already, it could stay that way as I struggled out. Although forcibly moving is not very trance-like and I did not know if it would work. But either way, I 'spose I was 'damned if I do, dammed if I don't', like my father always said.

Thoughts of my family accompanied Elladan in my daydream and I felt within me the strength to get out. Not just my personal strength, but the strength of my line throughout the history of Slayers. This was nothing compared to what others have faced. Number one rule: Don't die.

Still in my trance, I shifted and reached out with my left hand. The first bit of luck today! The dirt was still loose and easy to push through. Sweet, blissful oxygen came to greet me and I was tempted to just stay there. But Mavlar may not believe the orcs and may hunt for me. I could also hope that the Rangers and Elves would find me, but I was no princess waiting to be rescued. No way could I just wait around and see, I had to make my move now.

My left, uninjured hand grasped the top of the ground and I used it to pull myself up. Or try to, anyways. It was like in the last few hours my muscles had disintegrated. Although raising my right arm maybe me whimper softly, I used that to push through the dirt as well. My breathing got heavier and dirt began falling into my mouth and nose, causing me to choke. Grasping each side of my grave, I pushed myself the foot upwards. Coughing out the wet dirt, I breathed the fresh air in deeply. It had that sweet after-rain smell and the taste of grass lay on my tongue. May not be the taste of chocolate, but it's far better than blood.

My pain compartments shuddered and I had to force them closed. Breathing in had awakened the pain of my broken ribs, but I refused to acknowledge it. I was taking it one step at a time, and the first step was to get out of this grave. Slowly I crawled out of my grave inch by inch and ignored the burning red pain. I knew I would be unable to stand thanks to my useless right foot so I began to crawl. Unfortunately, I had no idea in which direction.

The orcs had taken me here so there should be tracks. My left eye was still useless but my right eye searched the ground for tracks. At the foot of my grave I saw the disturbance they had left leading in that direction. I decided to crawl the opposite way.

Never before had I experienced something so hard and painful. My right side seemed useless thanks to my broken wrist, stabbed shoulder, and broken foot. My left side wasn't unscathed either, thanks to blossoming purple bruises. Each movement shocked my system and each time I shoved those feelings deep within me. I could feel pain later. For now, I needed to get far away.

It took me at least twenty minutes to move not even twice that same distance. I faltered and fell to the ground. Defeat threatened to overwhelm me. But I went to my happy place and thought of those I loved. I would make them proud, I would win this struggle, and I would live.

I continued crawling for at least another 2 hours. Every ten minutes or so I would take a break and allow myself to only feel that level of exhaustion for one minute. My grave had been just barely within a woods and now I had gotten deeper within in. I had no idea what time it was. The battle began during dinner and I was knocked out for a long ass time. Add in several hours of hanging around and getting tortured. Sunlight shone through spaces in the trees and I determined it must be early afternoon. My body craved a drink and food, but I kept going.

Finally, after another hour of crawling I laid down. Every part of me was in pain. Dull, throbbing pains and sharp pains like claws raking through me consumed my thoughts.

All I wanted was to take a nap. A short nap. Yes....I allowed the pain to consume me and I was gone.


	15. Happy Dances with Elves

Chapter 15- Happy Dances with Elves

I awoke slowly, not wanting to leave the safe harbors of my dreams. In my dream I was surfing on the largest wave of my life. The size of a tidal wave, I could see for hundreds of miles. The sound of water pounded in my ears as I maintained my balance. Unlike in life, my wave never ended and instead carried me for a miles and miles as I explored the world. There was even a cute dolphin named Sebastian who was my bff.

I sighed and then coughed as my breath disturbed the dryness of my throat. The hardest thing about this world, sometimes, is living in it. Instead of escaping again into my dreams I blinked my right eye open again. Amazingly enough, I heard something I had not heard before passing out. Water! Straining my ears, I could hear the unmistakable sound of water rushing maybe twenty feet ahead of me. Ignoring the pain, I quickly crawled to a river bank and eagerly scooped up water with my left hand. Oh my god, I have never tasted anything better in my life.

The bank was high up where I was but I noticed maybe twenty feet downstream lay a shore. I crawled to it as quickly as I could, eager at the chance to clean up and drink drink drink!

Exhausted, I sort of just fell into the water. The bank here seemed to be a gradual incline and I gulped down more water. It had been only less than twenty-four hours since I last had a drink but in light of my recent torture it felt much longer than that. Once I was finished with that I lowered my body more into the river and hissed in pain as the water came into contact with my cuts. Some of the cuts were from torture and others were from crawling for three hours or so.

Lightly I washed the blood off my body and sighed in relief from the cool cleanness of the feeling. After scrubbing my left eye for a while I was finally able to open it again. My eyes was fine, though blurry, it seems only the hardened blood kept it in place. Now able to use both eyes, I inspected myself sadly. I was truly a hot mess. My right foot had swelled until it looked like a balloon was attached to my leg. The cuts on my torso didn't look too good either, likely they were getting infected from crawling on the dirt and grass.

So, what now? I'm three hours away from my assailants, but since I assume they can probably cover the ground faster than I can crawl they could be here in only forty-five minutes if they willed it so. Not to mention I left a nice trail for them. I looked down the river. It seemed there was only one option. Too bad I didn't have a surfboard.

Musing to myself, I scanned my surroundings for something that could help me stay downstream. I sure could not swim in my condition. Perhaps due to lightning, a tree twenty feet away lay on its side. I crawled over there and searched for a branch. Discovering one that seemed large enough I crawled back to the river bank and waded in. The branch in hand was about one foot in diameter and four feet long. It seemed sturdy and as I waded out further I discovered it floated quite well.

I looked back at the shore and sighed. Beautiful, glorious grass and dirt. I really do not like the water. Boo.

Grasping the branch with my left hand and clutching it in the crook of my right arm, I waded out further and let the current take me downstream.

The current was decent, within minutes I lost sight of where I had been. My hope was the current would heed my will to put as much space between Mavlar and I as soon as possible. If that wasn't too much to hope for, I also wished that my friends would find me. Damn, what I would give for some bandages and Neosporin.

My position hanging onto the branch was uncomfortable to say the least. As I traveled the sun moved from high in the sky to half-way to the horizon. While the water had tasted delicious thanks to its coldness, now it felt awful and my body was racked in shivers. Throughout the travel I kept a wary eye on the shore, always watching for potential assailants.

Suddenly, as I came closed to set of golden woods, I saw the slightest movement in trees. Peering closely, I could see nothing but felt eyes upon me. Friend or foe, I was unsure. Something at the back of memory tickled... What was it? Something about these woods? Wait, the Golden Woods! Lothlorien! Likely those in the trees were friends. What did Arwen call them? The Marchwardens? Blinking back tears of desperation, pain, and hope I called out for help.

Flying so quickly that I barely even saw him, a figure dived into the river towards me. Moving with the fluidity of a fish, he was upon me in seconds. The blond-haired elf held whispered to me in a reassuring manner, although it was in that Elf talk so I had no idea what the hell he was saying. Gingerly he lifted me and swam back to shore where four other blond elves awaited. All of them wore grey hooded cloaks and towered above me, clearly they were over six foot.

We played that fun game I played with the Rangers, with some minor differences. They spoke in their soft, flowy language and I spoke back in Westron. Still, even with Gandalf's spell they did not understand me! Three of the elves began binding wood together to make some sort of stretched while the other two assessed my wounds and spoke to me. Honestly, it was a little damn irritating not knowing what they were saying. You'd think Gandalf could have freaking just accessed all languages for me! Grr.

But my anger didn't last. Overcome with pain, stress, and relief I passed out as soon as they laid me on the stretcher.

************************************

Birds. It sounded like a bird's morning song, high-pitched and sweet. But it was speaking in an elvish voice. Groggily I opened my eyes to see a slender, tall woman organizing several glass jars on a table. I was in a wooden room and in a deliciously soft feather bed. Shifting in order to cozy under my soft blanket, something seemed out of place. Well, duh. I was in a bed for the first time in five days. But there was something else too. I stretched my arms out and realized what was out of place was pain.

I sat up quickly and gasped. My bruises- gone! My wrist- not broken! My foot- also not broken! "What the hell?" I looked up at the woman at the table in confusion. Much like before with Arwen, immediately she made me feel at home. Her eyes were eternal and of caring. When she smiled I could not help but return it. "Ga...Galadriel?," I questioned.

She got up and sat beside me. "Yes, I am Galadriel. You are safe in my city, Caras Galadhon. Please, do not worry. I have healed your wounds."

Looking like the lady I wasn't, I just stared at her open-mouthed like a buffoon. My mind was trying to take in everything. "How...How did you...I was-"

"You were near death. It is good my marchwardens found you when they did. Your wounds had become infected and the cold river water left you shivering uncontrollably." She ran her hands through my curls. "I have been blessed by the Valar to possess great healing powers. Not always am I so effective, but I believe the Valar wanted me to succeed in your case. You have endured much in our lands."

That's all it took. Welling up with tears, I turned my eyes down as they streamed out. To be safe, to be alive, and to be comforted like my mother would comfort me at home, was too much to take in. My mama always played with my hair when I was sad. God, I missed her so much right now.

"It's alright my child. Let it out. You have earned that right." Amazingly, Galadriel drew me into her arms and stroked my head as I cried like a lonely child.

Finally, when I had finished I drew myself upright and wiped my eyes with the sleeves of a lovely red dress made of a light and silky material. The bodice was fairly low-cut (elves must not have large breasts because once again mine were a bit cleavagy) and it flowed straight to my ankles. My wonderful not-broken ankles. I started laughing with giddiness. Oh Lord, Galadriel must think I'm freaking crazy but I couldn't stop laughing. My emotions were on a rollercoaster, from high to low.

"Sorry," I gasped between laughs. "I don't know what has gotten into me."

Galadriel laughed and it was a ringing, soprano sound. "You are alive and safe. Both are excellent reasons to laugh."

After my laughs stopped I asked her where Arwen and the others are.

"My grandchildren and the Dunedain are on their way. They are close, within a day's journey. When the sun is mid-sky tomorrow they should be here."

"How long did I sleep?"

"Likely not long enough. It was nightfall when the wardens brought you to me and it is now late afternoon. You have slept at least twenty hours, which is quite good considering your condition."

Impulsively I grabbed her hand and kissed it. Looking into her bright eyes I said "Thank you. For *all* that you have done."

Smiling, Galadriel kissed the top of my head and stood. "I have seen that you and I are linked, Sofia Isabella Ramirez. By saving you I have likely saved my kin."

"What do you mean?"

"Fret upon it not, one day the meaning shall be delivered unto thee. As for now, I must attend some business. I am entrusting you into the care of one of our healers, Ariellan. She will see that your needs are met. Tomorrow there will be a great feast to welcome my grandchildren, the Dunedain, and yourself. I will see you then." Without her feet seeming to touch the ground, she glided out of my room.

"Holy fuck," I whispered. I was alive. ALIVE. I fell to the floor on my knees and did something I do not do often enough. I prayed. Not often did my Catholic background make its way into my day to day life, but at this moment I felt compelled to say my thanks.

'Thank you Lord for all that you have done. Thank you for delivering me from evil and seeing to my speedy recovery. I vow to do whatever is your will in ensuring those who harmed me will not be able to harm anyone else. Use me as your tool to combat these evils. Please see that my friends have a safe journey. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.' I made the sign of the cross and kissed my thumb and forefinger.

Standing up I surveyed my body. Yup, everything seemed good. I was grateful the dress felt extremely comfy and when I twirled it spun out. I giggled. I loved twirly dresses. Sadly, I realized my bra didn't make it, but the tight bodice of the dress ensured my girls stayed in for the day. Testing myself, I did a roundhouse kick and found my body still worked as it did. Overjoyed, I did a happy dance.

What is a happy dance? Well, it's when extreme joy forces a person to jump up and down and twirl and move their body in strange ways, like a child.

"Am I interrupting anything?" I stiffened and slowly looked at the door. Standing in the frame was a silver-haired elf who wore a light green dress. Her hair fell in waves all the way to her waist and she was quite beautiful (so not fair, by the way. Were there any elves that were not attractive?).

An embarrassed smile slid across my face and I laughed. "No, not really. I was just doing a happy dance. Usually not dying deserves a happy dance. I'm Sofia by the way, although I am sure you already know that. Are you Ariellan?"

"Yes, I am. Did Galadirel tell you I would be your nurse today?"

"Yep, she did. Although I feel awesome!" Again I jumped in the air and twirled.

Ariellan laughed in that same soprano all female elves seem to posses. "I am glad to hear of this! Now tell me, what is this 'happy dance'? Is this from your culture back home?"

I had to giggle at that. No wonder Elladan makes fun of my culture, look what I show him. My cheeks warmed at the thought of the elf and I hurriedly explained happy dances to Ariellan. When I was done she winked and asked if she could join me. So we spent the next thirty minutes or so dancing. During our laughing and dancing we got to know each other. I told her of my background and how I got her and she told me about her home in Caras Galadhon, her brother who was a marchwarden, and her soon to be marchwarden husband, Orophin. No where in America could I meet some girl and spend the first half-hour doing happy dances while getting to know her. Maybe its just the ones I meet, but elven women seem pretty freaking awesome and sweet.

As she spun me, I spun across the room and landed into a solid torso of an male elf. I looked up into a gorgeous face and grinned like an idiot. "Oops. Excuse me." Lustrous silver hair hung past his shoulders and it had a single strand on each side braided and tied together in the back. He was clad in armor and had wide lips that were smiling at me. The only imperfection I could find was his rather large nose, but it sat regally on his face.

"Do not apologize, Lady Sofia. It is my fault to enter without announcing myself. I only meant to collect my future sister. I am Haldir, Marchwarden of the Galadhrim." As he spoke he lowered himself in a bow. Damn, I *really* like the attitudes of these elves. Everyone should be into happy dances and bowing before me.

"What brings you dear 'future' brother?" Ariellan grinned as she said the last words.

"Orophin desired to know your dinner plans, but he is currently occupied training so he sent me in his stead."

A loving smile brightened Ariellan's face that showed her feelings for Orophin. "Well, tonight I am dining with Sofia but please tell him I will see him at the feast tomorrow."

With a wide smile, Haldir gestured to both of us. "Nay! My brother's heart breaks every moment without you and Lady Sofia should be treated to a fine evening. Please, will both of you join us this eve at my talan?"

Throwing her hands on her hips haughtily, Ariellan glared at Haldir, but her eyes gleamed with amusement. "My dear Haldir, do you not think I myself can treat our guest to a fine evening?"

Lowering her head and rubbing his temples, Haldir replied. "May the Valar show mercy upon my brother as he enters into a marriage with such a sharp-tongued elf!." Both of them laughed and I joined in.

"Sofia, shall we end Haldir's torment and agree to their dinner plans?"

"It is likely two males are unable to have an interesting or fun evening without the aid of us womenfolk, so I say yes." I winked jokingly at Ariellan.

"Excellent. We will see you tonight in two hours time."


	16. LearningtheMarchwardenCanScreamLikeAGirl

Ch. 16-Learning the Marchwarden Can Scream Like a Girl

Music of nightingales surrounded us as we made our way to Haldir's talan. Ariellan explained earlier that 'talans' were their houses. In the city of Caras Galadhon all elven homes were fitted within the great mallorn trees that covered the forest. Transporting from one area to the other involved intricately carved staircases that spiraled upwards and linked the hundreds of talans that existed. While it was quite confusing making my way through there, even with Ariellan as my guide, it was fun at the same time.

Growing up I had *always* wanted a tree house. Most likely, that idea had been implanted by my religious watching of The Simpsons and also fulfilled my desire for my own private, sacred place. From the time I was eight I always said "Papi! Por favor make me a tree house!" Each time he would respond "But mija, we don't have any trees in our yard!" Even though I knew it couldn't be helped, I always pouted. It made me hate living in the city, not being around trees. When I did have the opportunity, in a park or at a friend's home, I always took advantage of climbing trees. My friends would tell me not to because it was dangerous, but I still did my damnedest to climb as high as possible. Especially when the stupid boys in my neighborhood would heckle me with the typical "Girls can't climb trees!" Never one to back down, I always made sure I climbed the highest.

Looking down perhaps seventy feet below I wish I could see those boys now. Sure bet they've never been this high up in a tree before!

"We're here," stated Ariellan as we approached Haldir's talan.

Grinning at her, I asked "Are you excited to see your hunny?"

She blushed deeply and smiled. "Its amazing that we've known each other for hundreds of years but never once did either of us think about courting the other. Knowing that we shall be married in a week doesn't feel quite real." She laughed lightly. "Its so silly that I get so happy knowing he's waiting on the other side of that door only thirty feet away."

Impulsively I hugged her. She was just so cute! "No, its not silly at all. I kind of envy you for that."

She peered down at me inquisitively. "Thank you for your words, mellon nin. But why do you envy me, do you not have a lover of your own?"

Now it was my turn to blush and look away. "I... My last boyfriend... Well, it ended, badly, about a year ago. He was the only serious one I have ever had and I haven't given much thought to men since then. Its...It was excruciating in the beginning and it took me a long time to recover. Hell, I still haven't recovered." I shrugged absent-mindedly.

Ariellan placed a hand on my shoulder. "Mellon nin, would you like to talk?"

I evaded her searching green eyes. "No, that is alright. The whole Erik situation is something I never really talk about and we have your man waiting for us." That whole debacle, it was true. I never did talk about it, except when it became a Slayer issue. While I really liked Ariellan, I couldn't bring myself to tell her. Part of me wanted to open up and share the weight I had been carrying around for a year... But it was a privacy issue. I just don't talk about myself, *especially* feelings. Maybe a trust issue too. Lord knows I've been burned many times before.

Luckily for me, Ariellan decided not to press. "While we may be new friends, I can see this is something or someone important to you. If you ever need to talk please do not hesitate to ask." She paused and seeing I was not fessing up she continued brightly. "Alright! Let us enjoy a delicious meal. I know you will adore Orophin, he's such a jokester. Haldir too is quite fun."

Once Ariellan rapped on the door an elf that looked alarmingly like Haldir, but with shorter hair and a thinner nose, grabbed her and twirled her into the air. She squealed in delight and after greeting her in elvish he gave her a loving kiss. It was so adorable... and nauseating. I admit it, I'm kind of a hater on couples since the Erik thing.

After introductions the three of us sat down as Haldir finished meal preparations. Orophin was not quite fluent in Westron but he knew enough to communicate, especially with jokes. The three of us were cracking up as he recited a funny event from the day before.

"So, I was teaching the elflings the basics of the bow and one in particular, Miramir, was doing, well, a rather awful job. He's the youngest of the group, mind you, and it was his first time. The little one was very excited because his father is a marchwarden. Anyways, Haldir comes over to assist with teaching", looking at me he added, "All marchwardens assist with teaching the younger ones on our furloughs from the front. Anyways, apparently Haldir is Miramir's idol ever since Haldir rescued his father-"

I interjected, "Really?"

Orophin continued. "No, no, *please* do not ask about it. My brother never needs more fuel to his ego."

Lettuce leaves landed on top of Orophin's head who cried out in exaggerated pain. "You must forgive my brother, Sofia. His tongue is as wicked as Ariellan's, though far less truthful."

We all laughed and Orophin continued his story. "As I was *saying*. So here Miramir is jumping up and down asking Haldir to teach him. So Haldir, my brother of the golden heart does. Except while Miramir was aiming for the targets he released too early and an arrow hit Haldir right in his arm! And Haldir, fierce warrior that he was, was so shocked by the pain that he screamed in the highest voice I have ever heard." Here Orophin stood up and mocked Haldir being shot with a shrill scream and a exaggerated fall to the ground. Ariellan and I were holding our sides and tears were streaming down our faces.

Ariellan tried to speak between laughs. "Oh-My-Goodness... The Fiercest Marchwarden...Taken down... By an elfling!"

Haldir just leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and stared blankly at us all. "Ahem. Dinner is served... And I did not fall to the ground!"

"Oh my goodness," I said as I filled my plate with meat and vegetables. "I can just see this story traveling like wildfire through the city. Orophin, you are indeed a master storyteller." I winked at him in amusement at the end.

"Yes, yes." Haldir cleared his throat. "Perhaps another topic of conversation?"

I smiled mischievously. I don't typically joke with people I don't know too well, but I felt comfortable with these three. "So... Is a better topic the tale of you saving Miramir's father?"

Haldir puffed out his chest in mock importance. "Well... If I do say so myself, it is a rather fine story." We all laughed again.

"Wow, I have known you all for only couple hours, and you Orophin less so, but I have to say, this is some rather fine entertainment. A lovely way to begin my stay here."

"Cheers!" We all clinked our wine glasses. It appears in some ways that Middle-Earth was like European Middle Ages in reference to clothing, food, drink, and weapons. I assume this must be what life is like without technology. But it was kind of neat to have wine at every meal, delicious red wine at that.

The evening went on that way, full of stories and laughter, for several hours. As my inescapable yawns began to badger me, I admitted it was probably time for bed.

"By the Valar, Ariellan, is this how you take care of your charge? By depriving her of sleep? For shame." Haldir smirked at Ariellan who was now sitting in Orophin's lap.

"Hush up Haldir!"

"Yes, trust me, Ariellan is very good at taking care of her... charges," Orophin drawled with a sly wink. Haldir and I laughed at Ariellan made a face and smack Orophin on the arm.

"One of these days mister, one of these days," Ariellan threatened.

"Right to the moon, Alice! Pow! Right to the moon!"

The three of them looked at me and sadly, once again, I missed with my pop culture reference. I just shrugged and told them just to wait until they got television.

Ariellan haughtily got off Orophin's lap. "Well kind sir," she bowed to Haldir, "and *you*", she inclined her head towards her lover, "Sofia and I were take our leave of you two."

Orophin stood up and whispered to her in Elvish. Must have been something Casanova-like because she giggled and a light blush colored her cheeks.

"Actually, Ariellan can stay here. I can walk home by myself, no problems."

"Oh no! I am supposed to monitor you throughout the night, just in case."

I rolled my eyes. "Ariellan, amiga, dude, mellon nin, I'll be totally fine."

Haldir entered our debate. "Ariellan I assume I shall get no rest tonight with Orophin staying here until his roof is fixed, so I will escort Sofia home and monitor her." Although they tried to hide it, both Orophin and Ariellan looked happy at the prospect of being home alone for the night.

"Um, well, we're cool and all, but I don't want you to watch me sleep Haldir. That's light-weight creepy."

He laughed as he opened the door. "Do not fret, Sofia. I will sleep outside your door. I promise no creepiness of any weight, light or heavy."

"Well, alright." We said our farewells to the other two and began walking back to the talan where I was staying. In all honesty, I was glad to have Haldir since, especially with nightfall, I had no idea where I was staying. The trees of the city were a labyrinth of stairs and talans.

We didn't speak at first. It felt weird to leave the loud dinner party with just the two of us. Not to mention, the thought of how Ariellan and Orophin might be occupying their time and that its been a year since I've been able to engage in that particular past time. Glancing at Haldir I couldn't help but admire the way strands of his silver hair reflected the moonlight. I felt a little awkward being alone with him as I realized what an attractive man, or elf, that he was. After spending the evening with him I am certainly attracted to him, not that I feel inclined to act on that. There's already that randomness between Elladan and I, the shadows of my last relationship, the fact that I should break the Slayer chain of dating guys outside my species, and that I intended to get the hell out of Oz as soon as possible.

Of course, if I could just put all that on hold for just one minute and spend that kissing Haldir's full lips and touching those oddly attractive pointed ears, I totally would.

"What are you thinking about Sofia?"

Uhhh. Kissing you? "Just how much I enjoyed dinner." I glanced up. Yup he bought it. I should be more careful. For all I know someone could be a mind reader. Ugh, that would suck; to be thinking about an attractive man only to have him know all your thoughts. Not cool.

"Excellent. I am glad we could welcome you properly."

"Yeah... It was weird. I felt like I haven't laughed like that in forever. Of course, its only been a few days, not forever. But. Well. Hmmph. Honestly, when you think you're going to die it really makes all the normal life stuff seem so far away." There. I said it. Tendrils of those dark thoughts had been weaving around my brain since I awoke. I locked them up quickly, but like shadow I could ignore them, but never get rid of them.

Haldir did not say anything. Gracias Dios. This is why I enjoy male company. They can be so much easier than woman. No analyzing or questions. Just acceptance.

Haldir's soft voice entered my ears. "I have been a marchwarden for over 1,000 years. In that time I have fought on many occasions, seen the passing of many friends, and once I was injured so gravely I thought Mandos would take me." Haldir maintained his composure and kept looking straight ahead. "It was spring time and I was perhaps 800 years old. The Lady of the Light, our Galadriel, needed me to carry a message to Imladris. The passage way involved crossing over the Misty Mountains and orcs, who cannot abide the sun, infested the once pristine place. Our scouts had told us their nesting areas and I mapped a way to avoid them. While riding through a valley I was ambushed by those foul denizens of the Dark Lord. I tried to outride them on horse, but their arrows pieced her hide and my beloved mare was killed. I've always been an excellent fighter, but there was too many that day. I was pierced in the stomach, leg, and arms several times. I remember bears attacking the orcs and the next day I awoke in the house of a man, if you can call him that, named Beorn.

Several of the arrows were tipped with poison and I quickly succumbed to a dark sickness. I lay in that bed for days as Beorn tried to help me and then, after he sent for her, the Lady tried to help me. Their medicines and magics took many days to impact my system, but throughout it all I wished death. I desired it."

Haldir glanced down at me. "Yes, indeed, I desired it. The pain was unbearable. Had it gone on yet one more day I may have willed myself to leave Middle-Earth and leave the shores for Valinor. Of course, since that day I have counted my blessings that the Valar saw me through that event."

I really didn't know what to say. "And look at you now. All alive and still hunting orcs."

"Yes. No matter what, the hunt always continues."

I couldn't help but snort. "Tell me about it. Its never-ending. Evil doesn't take time off."

"Yes, it can be quite frustrating, to have to leave the people you care for in order to protect the borders. For those who are not marchwardens, it is difficult for them to understand."

"Totally. My parents, my familia, my God I could never tell them. They would never understand, they would hate it. My mother especially. She's all about peace and love, no doubt she would be horrified to learn her daughter is a killing machine."

"Is that how you think of yourself?"

As we continued walking I grabbed a strand of hair and began playing with it. I'm a fiddler; I always have to fiddle with something. Especially when talking about things that matter. I was tempted to end the conversation... But something inside of me told me to continue. To take the red pill and go down the rabbit hole, so to speak.

"I know the gig. I'm a Slayer. I kill bad guys, demons, whatnot. But I'm also a killer. That is what I do. I'm a professional killer."

"Sofia, you are a protector. I do not view you as a killer. Your role is to make sure that others, people like your family members, do not have to take up arms against a wicked enemy. Fighting, killing. It is hurtful to the soul to take the life of another being, evil or not. But it is something that must be done because creatures like those do not belong in our world. By disposing of them, we are doing as the Valar intended. We are doing their will."

"Si... I know. Really, I do understand that. Its just...It feels like I *should* feel bad about what I do... That I should feel bad about killing other creatures. But actually, I don't. In fact, I enjoy it. Fighting, whether hand-to-hand or with a weapon is such a part of me, the most natural part of me. But I know I should feel bad at delighting in it."

"Nay, Sofia. As warriors, it is our duty to slay foul creatures. Enjoying the hunt, the fight, does not mean something is wrong with us. In fact, it indicates we are doing exactly what we were made for. Those who do not enjoy it are simply not made to do it. The Valar did not create each one of us only to give us gifts that would bring unhappiness. If I were an excellent warrior but shied at the thought of blood, that would be a travesty. Or a clumsy warrior who wishes to kill, but instead gets killed in battle due to lack of skill; that would be a problem."

By this time we had reached my talan when Haldir turned to me and lightly held my chin. "Please think on my words. You are perfectly made, just as the Valar intended. Do not shy away from your feelings. Others may project those feelings of guilt, but search yourself before giving in to these feelings."

"Wow... Thank you for your words... I will think on them indeed." I was kind of in shock at realizing the truth in his words. For five years I judged myself as my familia would judge me... But we have different 'gifts', as Haldir stated, and thus different perspectives. Perhaps I have been too hard on myself over the years.

A smile spread across his face. "For this I am glad. I will be here if you need me. Until tomorrow, sweet dreams Vancarmiel."

"Vancarmiel?"

"Its an elvish word, it means 'beautifully created', just as you are. Consider it your new nickname." Haldir grinned. "Goodnight."

I smiled shyly. Dinner full of laughter, deep talks, getting a nickname... This place was starting to feel a bit like home.

Papi (Spanish)- Daddy

Por favor (Spanish)- Please

Mija (Spanish)- My daughter (abbreviation of mi hija)

Familia (Spanish)- Family


	17. True Love's Kiss and an Angry Hiss

Ch. 17- True Love's Kiss and an Angry Hiss

The room was extravagantly decorated in hues of red. My feet padded through thick, blood-red carpet as I walked towards the enormous four-poster bed where my lover waited. Each step felt luxurious as the carpet fiber caressed my smooth, bare feet. The carpet itself could be used as a bed, due to its softness. Dozens of flickering candles lit my path and the darkened outline of my lover was visible behind sheer curtains that hung over the canopy. Reaching my destination I flung the curtains to the side where my personal Adonis laid waiting.

Chocolate brown eyes heated with desire met my gaze and his tongue ran over the edge of his thick, juicy lips. An involuntary shudder ran through my body as I anticipated the feel of that tongue on my body. Beads of sweat were making their way through the crevices of his pectoral muscles that I longed to lick off. The luster of his dark-brown skin was clearly visible except where silk black boxers hid his most intimate parts.

Sitting up, he smiled like he had a secret. Like he knew all the different ways to make me scream and was looking forward to displaying that knowledge. With a sudden movement he grabbed my neck and pulled me on top of him and claimed my mouth with his own. For the sweetest of moments I was in sheer ecstasy. My heart grew in my chest as I realized that I loved this man, my poet, my lover. The kiss was out of a fairytale; True Love's Kiss. Each one of my nerves was on alert as he ran his fingers up and down my arms, shoulders, and back.

Pulling back from our embrace, he inspected my body up and down until he rested on my own coffee-colored eyes. "I love you, Erik," I whispered breathlessly.

His once warm eyes turned cold and his loving smile rose into a sneer. Fear clutched my chest as I realized that my Erik was no longer there. Memories of last year assailed my senses. Erik is gone; his spirit forced out by the evil man before me.

My voice turned cold and sharp as steel. "Damian."

Thoughtfully running his hands down his bare chest,*Erik's* bare chest, Damian smiled sweetly. "What, no more kisses?"

I fought the urge to kill him, to destroy the body of my former lover. Instead, I eyed the room coolly. "Nice décor," I commented. "If this wasn't a dream I would say it must have cost you a pretty penny."

Damian gave out a bark of laughter. The shock of seeing Erik's body inhabited by another body never wore off. Even though I knew this was a dream I couldn't help but twinge internally as I heard the laughter of my former beloved. Damian had done his research well and moved lithely as Erik's six foot frame once had. But he was not Erik.

Making a 'tsking' noise at me, Damian shook his head. "Ah, I do dislike how your Slayer senses can easily sense the dream's I invade. It makes torturing you emotionally more difficult when you know I am here."

"Get. The. Fuck. OUT of my dream," I hissed with anger. This is not the first time Damian's sorcery had accomplished this type of invasion but it has been a long time since we last made contact.

Looking as though he did not have a care in all the world, Damian reclined onto the thick mattress with his hands folded behind his head. "No, I don't think so my love. See, I heard a delicious little rumor that I had to check out for myself. It took a few animal sacrifices to cross into this dimension into your sweet little dreams, but it appears to be worth it. So it seems someone besides myself *is* after you."

Suddenly the room twisted and my senses blackened as my dreamscape returned to Mavlar's torture chamber. I was clad once again in my torn and tattered clothes and Damian was wearing some leather dominatrix-type apparel. Once more my wrists were captured by the iron chains and the feelings from the day before rushed back to me. Pain, fear, a longing for death; it was overwhelming. Each of my old wounds reappeared in all their bloody and bruised glory.

Cruelly, Damian laughed and his voice echoed throughout the chamber and my mind. That is how I could always remind myself that Erik was gone. While Damian may have moved like him, his laugh was nothing like my lover's.

"Oooh, this *is* delicious! Completely worth the time I put into coming here. You pain is so raw and fresh, it tastes like how you did when you first discovered my existence." Damian breathed in deeply to taste my scent.

Knowing what was in store I began screaming. And screaming.

**************************************

"Vancarmiel! Vancarmiel! Vancarmiel!" A lilting male voice came into my ears as my body was shaken awake. "Vancarmiel!"

I blinked my eyes open slowly and softly mumbled, "I'm awake."

Haldir was sitting on my bed beside me. I tired to move, but I couldn't. In the process of my dreaming I had stirred and rolled so greatly that the sheets had wound their way around me like a jungle snake.

A calloused, warm hand caressed my cheek. "Vancarmiel, you were screaming like you were being tortured." Realizing he said the 't-word', Haldir tried to backpedal. "I mean, you sounded like you were in great pain."

I shut my eyes tightly as the memories of my 'dream' returned to me. That fucking cabron Damian. I have tried to ignore his presence for so long and then he turns up like this. I thought the meditative exercise Giles taught me would allow me to control my dreams better but either Damian is more powerful than previously thought or I am weaker than I thought. Regardless, I had begun shivering thanks to my ordeal. That cabron! He was so smug about hearing of my torture and so hell-bent on causing me more pain. I hate myself for not killing him when I had the chance.

Seeing my shivering state, Haldir looked at me with concerned blue eyes that were lit in the moonlight that peeped through my window. "Sofia, what can I do?" No, 'what's wrong?' but 'what can I do?' Thank God. I hate it when people state the obvious.

"No-nothing," I stammered. "It was just a dream."

"Sounded more like a nightmare."

I snorted, trying to lighten the mood as I often do. "Yup. You could call it that." My eyes darted around the room as I attempted to evade Haldir's eyes.

"Would you like me to stay with you?"

"No!" I cringed at my harsh tone. "No thank you. I will be fine."

"Are you sure you do not wish to talk about it…?" Haldir trailed off as he inspected me.

I felt it fair to be honest with him. "Haldir, if I say it out loud, it is real. I cannot deal with that right now. I'd rather be Avoidance-Girl."

Looking dismayed, Haldir stood up. "Well, Sofia, you must do as you feel best. I will take my leave and await outside. May your dreams be better ones this time around."

Once Haldir walked outside I inspected the shadows that danced around the slits of moonlight that shone through. Tonight was too close. I obviously must be more damaged than I realized to allow Damian to rifle through my memories and use them against me. Fear twisted in my gut as I wondered if he was awaiting my return to sand man's land. Logically, I knew he would not be. Even a great sorcerer such as him cannot enter a person's dream multiple times in one night, especially over a dimensional barrier.

Still… As I turned right and left in the bed I realized how alone I felt. I felt silly, but I did not want to be by myself. But to ask Haldir to stay with me? That would definitely put me into the Big Wuss category.

But I knew there was no way I could fall asleep again, on my own. So I evaded the clutches of my sheets and got out of bed. Luckily, I was wearing a knee-length nightgown which is far more than I would normally wear to bed.

Opening the outside door slowly, I saw Haldir was already standing at the door expectantly. "Yes?," he queried.

"Haldir…." Ugh! I hate asking for help, especially from someone I just met. "Could you please…Well, it seems rather chilly outside and I daresay it would be rude of me to keep you out here where you could get sick. Would you like to sleep inside?"

A warm smile fluttered across Haldir's face before he set his mouth into a firm, serious line. "Why, that is quite kind of you Lady Sofia. I am quite cold and will take you up on your hospitable offer."

Knowing he was mocking my gesture I grumbled, "Shut up and get in here."

I climbed into bed and smoothed my skirt down. "You can sleep on the outside. Here are some covers."

Haldir climbed in next to me. "Thank you, Vancarmiel. I trust you will not take the covers in the middle of the night?," he teased.

Again, I grumbled. "It already *is* the bloody middle of the night elf-boy. Just be quiet and go to sleep. And, no hanky-panky." I shifted to face the wall.

"What is this 'hanky-panky'?"

"Oh my goodness. You never heard of that?" I turned back to gaze at his confused expression and smiled in spite of myself.

"No. You speech is rather barbaric Sofia and we elves do not speak like that." Haldir winked at me and I flicked his arm.

"It means trying to make a move."

"You mean I must lie perfectly still this whole night?"

"Arrgh! Damn elf. It means 'moves' like trying to get into my pants or something."

"But you are not wearing any pants."

"It. Is just. An. EXPRESSION," I huffed.

Haldir started to laugh so hard he was shaking the bed. "Oh, Sofia, you are honestly far too much fun to tease."

I stared at him deadpanned. "Seriously? You were just messing with me?" He nodded, still laughing silently. "Pinche elves," I growled.

"Truce?"

"Fine, bloody truce then. Now goodnight."

We lay there for a while as sleep evaded me. Restlessly, I shifted until I was facing Haldir who was looking at me with open eyes. "Mellon nin, would you like me to sing to you? Perhaps that would ease your heart and mind?"

I sighed, "Ok", and turned my back to Haldir again. Fear leaked into my soul like a pounding rain spills through cracks in a ceiling. "If you want, since it may be hard for you to sleep, ya know, since the bed is small and all, you can cuddle with me. To make you feel better."

Haldir began singing softly in Elvish; I couldn't really understand it but something about a person named Luthien. He pulled me close to him until I could feel the beating of his heart on my back. In that warm cocoon of Haldir my spirits began to lift. As I focused on the rhythmic beating of his heart and his sweet words I felt myself finally drift off into a dreamless sleep.


	18. SlayerSlutofHussyville&CrotchetyOldMan

**Ch 18- The Slayer Slut of Hussyville and the Crotchety Old Man**

My mind was awakening slowly like a rising sun brightening the horizon. I had been in a deep sleep and it was taking awhile to escape the fogginess of it all. As I shifted to my left I realized I was in bed with someone. A man. Wait. No, an elf. As memories of last night came a slight shiver ran through me and left goosebumps in its wake. Involuntarily, I huddled closer to Haldir and I felt his arm around me tighten protectively.

"Awake, my Vancarmiel?"

I grunted in response. Remembering last night, the day before, and the day I landed in this god-forsaken dimension made me really want to be asleep again.

"How are you feeling?"

I leaned my head against his broad chest and muttered softly. "Like hoping that the last six days are the result of some wacky nightmare."

Haldir sighed. "Sofia, if you being here is a dream, then it is certainly not a nightmare for me."

Surprised, I glanced up at him. Haldir smirked and winked at me, to which I grumbled back sarcastically. "I thought Orophin was the comedian of the family?"

Haldir laughed in return. "Vancarmiel, if my foolish wordplay can cause you to smile and feel a bit better about being in our lands, then I am fine with that. And while my dear younger brother may be the master of comedy I like to consider myself fairly adept at that art as well."

I snorted. "I'm surprised that someone as old as you, or any of the elves I met, can be so quick to make jokes after living so long."

His blue eyes peering down at me he questioned, "And how do you think we should live?"

I processed that as I looked into the depths of eyes that have seen so much. "Well… In my world old people usually get pretty grouchy and are pretty serious. So I just assumed that if you've lived for hundreds of years, fought in terrible battles, and so on; that you would be like a crotchety old man."

Deep laughter burst out of Haldir and his body began shaking the bed. Immediately I began to flush red. "Stop that right this instant! That last thing I need is for someone to walk by, hear a squeaking bed, see you, and assume I'm the Slayer Slut of Hussyville!"

Haldir finally quelled his laughter and looked at me in astonishment. "Slayer Slut of Hussyville? Oh Vancarmiel, you are really far too much. Do you think passerbys would assume we were engaged in relations just because the bed is squeaking?" His blue eyes twinkled with amusement at my discomfort.

"Well, hell if I know! I'm just sayin' folks don't know me 'round here and I don't want to give the wrong impression."

Grinning smugly he leaned in close to me and whispered. "Trust me Sofia, if I were to engage in relations with you there would be far more noise made than the quaint squeaking of the bed."

Giving him a disgusted grimace I swatted him on the arm. "Watch your tongue Elf-Boy, before I take it out." Although, truth be told, while I acted offended at that line of his… Well, let's say that's the type of thing a girl does not forget easily.

Quickly I returned to the previous topic. "Anyways, why aren't you like a crotchety old man?" I grinned at the thought of Haldir wearing suspenders, using a walker, and screaming at kids to get off of his lawn.

Pursing his lips, Haldir pondered. "Well, Sofia, I am guessing that your word 'crotchety' is synonymous with cranky." I nodded. "Regardless of how your aged citizens may act, we elves are not like that no matter, as far as I know, what."

"Why?" I found this interesting. There are not many times I meet people that have lived hundreds of years. Well, okay, yes. But they are typically evil creatures that I tend to kill first, ask questions later.

"Elves see each day of life as a gift from the Valar. We have seen many trials and have lost loved ones, this is true. But we do not focus on this. To focus on the turbulent times of our life are a rejection of the Valar and the world they created. Being alive is a joyous thing. To be able to live, essentially, forever brings great pain but many powerful positive memories as well. Elves choose to embrace the world and we often spend what time we can relishing our lives in this world."

"But how can you go on, year after year, especially as a warrior who loses loved ones and never stops having to fight?"

"Sofia, you ask a tough question."

"Those are my favorite type of questions. Just call me Barbara Walters." I grinned.

"Barbara…" Haldir's eyebrows furrowed. "More of your strange talk." He shook his head.

"Anyways", he continued, "those who live in this world must pay a price. We cannot expect everything to go smoothly. When the elves ages ago decided to leave the shores of Valinor- our heavenly beginning- for Middle Earth they ultimately gave up the choice of living a more peaceful existence.

"How do I continue? I know that my fallen brethren have died honorably and will be taken care of in the after-life. But in the end, the benefits of life far outweigh any pain we must endure. Of course, for some elves they will reach a moment in their life when the pain is too much and then they will sail to Valinor to live peacefully." His eyes gazed to the wall and his mind looked to be somewhere else.

"Why don't you go back to that Valinor place? If it's so great…"

He shook his head. "I was born here in Middle-Earth and it is my home. Also, I do not feel the call yet. For now, I am very happy where I am and in my purpose to protect Caras Galadhon as a Marchwarden."

I mused silently. I couldn't really wrap my brain around everything he had said. To live so long… Immortality sounds cool at first, until you realize what a long existence that is.

"Sofia?"

"Hmmm? Sorry, I was just thinking… I guess I don't understand why you would stay here with damn dirty orcs and wargs when there's some tropical, heavenly island waiting for you."

Running his fingers through my hair, Haldir turned the tables around on me. "Does your culture have a place like Valinor?"

I shut my eyes and focused on the feeling of his hands in my hair. I do ever so enjoy that feeling. "Yes, its called heaven."

"Well, your world seems quite terrible with all those demons and vampires you spoke of. Why don't you go to your heaven?"

"Um." I pursed my lips and tried to think. "Well, obviously I enjoy being alive. Being in heaven means I would be dead. And what good is another dead slayer to the world?"

Shrugging, Haldir looked at me again. "While elves are alive even in Valinor, my reason is similar. I enjoy my life here and I feel the need to fulfill my duty."

I breathed in deeply. How did we keep managing to get into these deep talks? Even my talks with Arwen were not so deep. I've only known Haldir less than twenty-four hours and twice he has really changed my view on things. I looked up at him and smiled. Although I woke up hating this world, it was nice to see there were some things about it that were alright.

"Vancarmiel, do you know what my duty this morning is?"

Confused, I stared blankly. "Um… To bathe?"

He gave me a sneaky grin and answered. "Well, certainly that. But before that my duty is to get you out of this bed and into the world."

"But I like sleeping, especially in a bed and not some sucio* tent," I whined.

"Well then, I suppose we will have to do this the hard way…" Like lightning he struck, his fingers tickling my ribs. Sad to say I'm more ticklish than a baby and I squealed with laughter. Involuntarily my body jerked feebly under his attack.

I tried to talk between giggles. "Stop…that!"

"Yes, please do, "a clear and curt voice stated.

My stomach twisted as I realized that was not Haldir speaking. Haldir ceased his tickling and we both looked up at the door. There, standing in the doorway was Elladan and Arwen. Arwen had an amused expression on her face and seem oblivious to Elladan's obvious feelings. His typically sparkling grey eyes looked cold and while his face was stony and blank, I could sense the hostility that raged beneath his demeanor.

"Arwen! Elladan!, " I gasped. A swirl of emotions descended upon me at the sight of them.

Haldir leapt from the bed and bowed graciously. "Lady Arwen, Lord Elladan, it is good to see you both are well after your travels."

Arwen said hello to Haldir and captured me in a huge embrace. "Sofia! Thank the Valar, I was so worried about you!" She squeezed me tightly and kissed my forehead. "A thick fog descended onto the land and it was not until after it dissipated that we saw you were gone! Oh, my heart ached when I thought what they might do to you. I am overjoyed to see you are well."

Much to my dismay, a few traitorous tears escaped the haven of my eyes. It felt so good to hug Arwen and once again I was reminded of how lucky I had been to escape. "Arwen, mellon nin, it is beyond amazing to see you again."

She released me and wiped away my tears with her fingers. "When we heard the news that our dear kin of Lothlorien had you, we were amazed at the mercy of the Valar. Isn't that right, Elladan?"

We both looked over at him. He shifted uncomfortably. "Yes, it was fortunate the marchwardens found you. I see they have been taking care of you well enough." His tone was a mysterious one. Arwen seemed to take no notice of it but I read into the sarcasm of his words.

Nodding slightly, Haldir responded. "Sofia was treated for her physical wounds but her mental ones assailed her at night. I am glad I could be there for her, she is a unique individual that is already well-liked by me and my kin." ."

"Well," Elladan said curtly, "I must see to our horses in the stable. Excuse me." Swiftly, Elladan walked out of the room.

"I will leave you two ladies alone for I must prepare for tonight's security." Haldir bowed and left the room as well.

"Wow," I said. "We sure can clear a room pretty quickly, Arwen, " I joked.

She had a bemused expression. "That was rather odd. Elladan seemed so determined to see you alive and well, I would have thought he would have stayed longer." Her dark blue eyes darted towards mine. "Why do you think he would act so strangely?"

I shrugged. "I dunno. He's your brother."

Though I played it off, I think I understood exactly what happened. Elladan was obviously perturbed at seeing me in bed, laughing, with another elf. But why would he care? We've known each other a week and besides a random kiss and an awkward half-naked moment in the creek, there is nothing. One side of me (the logical side) convinced myself that he didn't care and was just playing games; teasing me. The other side (the silly girly side that I often tried to hide) thought, or hoped, that maybe there was something more.

Arwen clucked her tongue. "No more deep thoughts, my friend. Today is a day of celebration. Come, let us bathe and get ready for the feast this afternoon."

*sucio (Spanish) - dirty


	19. Story Time with the ‘Traitor’ and ‘Bride

**Ch 19- Story Time with the 'Traitor' and 'Bridezilla' **

Arwen, Ariellan, and I breakfasted together on a multitude of fresh, juicy fruits. The sweet taste of the berries were enough to make me buy organic when I got back to my world. It wasn't that the fruits were different; they actually looked and tasted similarly to strawberries and grapes. But there was an inherent fresh flavor that made me realize how fruit should taste and that the chemicals farmers use are preventing that. I made a half-hearted prayer: God, if you deliver me out of this place I will totally advocate for organic food. I grinned, imagining myself as Organic's new poster child: Buy organic! It gives you that special 'oomph' you need to slay demons on the regular!

Yup, perhaps I should have majored in marketing.

"So, Ariellan, how goes the wedding plans?," questioned Arwen. I found out this morning that due to Arwen's frequent visits they had both known each other for a long time. I do not belief they were bff's of any sort but they seemed to be good friends. Then again, knowing someone for a millennium would probably establish a foundation for a good friendship.

Ariellan's sea-green eyes sparkled with excitement and her smile lit up the dining room of her talan. "Oh Arwen! It is coming along wonderfully! The musicians and food have been arranged and my dress will be fitted tomorrow!" She sighed longingly. "I am counting the days- I cannot believe it is less than one week already!"

Arwen and I both laughed at her exuberant response. Never before had I seen someone so much in love. Even when I loved Erik, I was still not ready for a lifetime commitment. Not to mention, a life long commitment to an elf is a very long time indeed.

"I'm curious, how do elves get married?"

Ariellan explained. "The marriage between two elves is a very sacred moment between them and the Valar. No other friends or relatives are there when they announce their joining before Eru Ilúvatar as it is a very personal moment. But thereafter in the evening a grand festival is held to celebrate the marriage amongst family and friends."

"Wow, that seems interesting. Too bad that doesn't work in America, sure would save people a lot of money. But what do they do at the joining moment itself?"

Ariellan just kind of stared at me and Arwen eyed me skeptically before speaking. "Mellon nin, do you not know of the joining between a male and a female?"

I squinted at her and then my slow mind got it. "OH! A 'joining'. Literally." I started laughing and they joined in. "Ah, I'm kinda slow sometimes, just ignore that." Both elves eyed me like they thought I still didn't understand. "I bloody know what a joining is! Maybe twenty-three is a child for elves but I have been around."

Ariellan looked shocked. "Oh, my."

I reconsidered my words. "Ah, pinchelo, that didn't come out right. I have not been *around* like *that*, mind you. I've had only one serious boyfriend…" I trailed off and they both giggled again.

"Mellon nin, it would not effect what we think of you; your level of *around-ness*. But you must admit, you do have a confusing way with words at times."

I rolled my eyes at Arwen as I sipped on some herbal tea. "You think I'm a crazy rambler now; you shoula' seen me in high school. I was always getting my foot in my mouth."

I continued, to do as I often do when slightly embarrassed and desire a subject change. "So, at the party do you have groomsmen, flower girls? Or what?"

They both looked at me smiling and Arwen was the first to respond. "Who are flower girls?"

I explained the American concept of a wedding- ring bearer, flower girls, and especially the ugly bridesmaid dresses. Both seemed baffled by that concept.

"But why would the bride want her friends to look ugly?," Ariellan asked.

Laughing, I replied. "Well, not *all* brides are like that. Just the Bridezillas- women who let the wedding plans consume them are pretty much obsessed on it being *their* day. But, yeah. It is a weird tradition that brides make their friends wear ugly matching dresses that usually have big flowers or bows." Arwen and Ariellan giggled at the concept.

Arching her eyebrow, Arwen looked over at Ariellan. "So a Bridezilla is a woman consumed with her wedding plans?" She paused and winked at me. "Perhaps that is one custom elves and humans from your world share." While we laughed gleefully, Ariellan pretended to pout.

"Just you wait until both of you get married! Arwen, the day you and Aragorn finally decide on a time to wed you will be beside yourself with plans. And Sofia, I bet you will be just as crazed." A wicked look washed over her face. "Actually, do you have any wedding prospects, any potential male interests?"

I nearly choked on my tea and gave her a baffled look. Ugh. The topic of my love life. *So* not wanting to go there today, of all days. "Nope, not at this moment Ariellan."

Giving me a look commonly associated with predators seeking prey, Ariellan continued her questions while Arwen looked on in interest. "Indeed? No potential male interests at all?"

Mentally, I challenged myself to be strong. Hey, if I survived the interrogation techniques by the jinn two years ago, I can totally take on two elven maidens. Keeping an emotionless face, I responded. "I have not had an interest in any men in the last year." Rule one about believable lying: Just creatively tell the truth. I had not had an interest in a man… An elf, sure. But not a man.

Ariellan appeared unconvinced. "Indeed. So when Arwen said she found Haldir in you bed…" She trailed off and wiggled her eyebrows at me.

I glared at Arwen. She nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders and hid a smile. "What can I say? Somehow it got brought up in conversation."

"Uh huh. How so? 'Hey Ariellan, guess what? Haldir was in Sofia's bed this morning'." I mimicked Arwen's low, enchanted voice. "Traitor," I muttered.

At least she had the decency to look away and appear very interested in her carved tea cup. Ariellan, unfortunately, was a tigress on the hunt. She leaned over the dining table eagerly. "Sofia, you can tell us! What happened?"

"Nothing, I swear," I bristled. I looked up at them both. "Honest. I had a … nightmare of sorts and Haldir woke me up just in time. I was pretty shaken so he stayed with me to help me fall back asleep. Yeah, we cuddled. But it didn't mean anything."

Both of the elven detectives were attentive now. At the same time Arwen asked "What do you mean, woke you up in time?" as Ariellan stated "So there *was* cuddling!"

I decided to address the easier issue first. Except… I wasn't sure what that was. Well, violence is better than cuddling so I chose the first question. "Just something from my past."

I looked up and they were staring at me, waiting. I wondered if I should tell them. I've known Arwen a week and Ariellan a day. Should I be telling them about Erik and letting them see that pulsating wound in my soul? For as long as I can remember, I rarely confided in people. All of a sudden I fall through this portal and I'm confessing deep thoughts to Haldir and potentially these two elves. What has changed? Searching myself I realized the elves, at least these three, just set me at ease. At their ages they are wise like a grandparent but their jovial spirits make them relatable like a friend I had grown up with.

I was torn; torn between trusting them and trusting my habits. Because once you open up to someone you can never go back. No, it's like revealing yourself naked to a new lover. Even if you break up, he'll always remember the sight and feel of your flesh.

Once again, I decided to jump down the rabbit hole and confide in another living being (besides my cat, Chewbacca… Yeah, I'm a Star Wars nerd. Got a problem with that?).

I dived into the tail. "This," I paused. "This story is not one I have repeated for any purpose except in my Slayer duties. It is rather long, but I'll try to give you the Cliff Notes."

"It began two years ago. I was twenty-one years old and studying at Oxford University in England. I had become a Slayer three years previous and was completing my studies to help me excel on the intellectual side of slaying. Majoring in Archaeology and Ancient History and Latin was not terribly easy, especially when you're slaying vampires trying to feed on the co-eds. But in my Archeology of Ancient Africa class was somebody that really distracted me from my studies."

I smiled at the thought of him. "He was a guapo* for sure, absolutely gorgeous. Towering over me at 6'1, he had the deepest brown eyes that twinkled whenever our professor made lame jokes, and his body looked as if it was sculpted by Michelangelo himself. His name was Erik and he had a deep voice that sent shivers down my spine each time her uttered a syllable. I was intrigued with him, for sure, but never knew how to approach him. I mean, what did I have to offer him? Most normal guys don't like super-strong girlfriends who come home at night covered in the blood of their enemies."

I glanced at both elves to try to steady myself. Both looked interested and I fought to continue on. "As luck would have it, Erik wasn't quite normal himself. After making a really lame excuse about studying for our exam, I asked him to grab coffee with me. We were having a good time, but in the pit of my stomach something seemed wrong. It had seemed wrong to pretend to be 'Miss Normal College Student' with him and lie about what I do on the weekend." I added, "Not to mention, I don't think he took me for the karaoke weekend type anyways."

I continued. "The night was over and he decided to walk me back to my apartment when some vamp I had failed to kill the night before approached me outside. With four of his friends. You can imagine I was a little freaked out when Erik joined me in the fight. Except, he didn't just join me. He dusted three of the vamps himself while I struggled with the leader." I smiled. "Long story short, Erik was a demon. Half-demon, technically. He looked like any other guy but his demon half stemmed from an ancient African race that possessed super strength and the gift of levitation." I stated the last sentence darkly and toyed mindlessly with a stray dark curl. "Essentially, he was a good guy and pretty much perfect for me."

"What happened to him? What does he have to do with your nightmare?," Arwen asked hesitantly. I think they could both tell how much this story time bothered me.

"We dated for a year. Fell in love, la di da. Then, while I was gone on a summer slayage field trip, Erik was attacked when he visited home to his mother's human family in Ethiopia. It was a metaphysical attack by an evil sorcerer named Damian." I spat out his name in anger and disgust. "Damian's problem is he was a powerful sorcerer but not a powerful man. His body was aging and deteriorating. Bollocks for him, he had discovered a formula that allowed him to jump bodies. After scouting around near his village, he came upon my love and desired to live in a strong, healthy, half-demon body. He forced out Erik and took his body instead."

My friends came to sit on each side of me as long-repressed tears began to fall in mourning for the person I had loved and trusted the most in the world. My Adonis. Ariellan whispered softly in Elvish; I had no idea what she said but it sounded comforting.

"What happened then?" Arwen looked at me with kind eyes.

"Then. Well." I took a breath. "I had no fucking idea what had happened. I cam back to Oxford and Erik was there just like when I left the 3 months previous. We took up where we left off for a good month." I hid my eyes in disappointment of myself.

"I know what you are thinking. How could I not realize the love of my life was no longer the love of my life?" I didn't bother to look up at them and took their silence for agreement. "Damian, in the process of stealing Erik's body, stole his memories as well." I scoffed. "That bastard was an excellent actor. There were times when I questioned what he did, but attributed it to stress or my own wackiness from running around."

I wanted to finish the story there. I did not desire to rethink the next moment so I abbreviated as much as would make sense. "But, eventually I did figure it out. My detective skills came in handy when I woke up shackled in a room as Damian recounted all the moments he stole with me and how 'right this instant' he had a client coming to buy me off him. Luckily for me, some of my fellow slayer figured it out and rescued me."

"And last night…?"

"And last night that pinche fucking cabron tried to mind-fuck me by getting into my dreams and making me relive my delightful trip to Torture Island."

Arwen gasped and Ariellan pulled me into a hug. My body tensed up but then I allowed myself to relax against her. In a way, it felt good to get it all out. Yet, my stomach was still clenched and I was wishing I had neglected breakfast today.

"Mellon nin, you must not allow this creature into your dreams! I will speak to my grandmother to gain her counsel on this matter."

I shrugged. "I doubt he'll be able to do it again, for a while anyways. No, I think he heard the rumors of my Mavlar after me and wanted to find out for himself."

"Regardless, I will ask her."

"Gracias, amiga. But, let us take your earlier advice to heart. Perhaps, let us not think of heavy topics and instead celebrate today?" I gave a thin grin.

"As you wish, Mellon-nin."

*guapo (Spanish)- handsome man; hottie ;)


	20. The 'Lame Blind Date'

**Chapter 20: The 'Lame Blind Date'**

Ariellan and Arwen had both abided by my request to ignore the heavy topics and focus on celebrating. In just an hour the banquet would be held. As Galadriel had told me the day before, the event was to celebrate the arrival of her grandchildren, Dunedain, and myself. Hate to admit it, but it *is* kind of fun to think I'll be honored as well. From the time I was winning awards at school assemblies I've always enjoyed being recognized. I know it's not very humble of me to say I enjoy recognition, but in the past five years I've helped save people and the world itself many times without a thank you.

Well, scratch that. Xander did make some of us brownies in my third year when we took down a Big Bad trying to open the Cleveland Hellmouth. They were kind of burnt since he almost forgot about them, but it's the thought that counts.

While I was looking forward to the gran fiesta I was apprehensive as well. I had yet to see Elladan since this morning. It bothered me to think he might be upset with me, or even hurt by me. I certainly did not like that it bothered me, but it did. I'm not even sure why I cared; we were nothing to each other.

Inwardly I winced at my dismissive statement. It didn't matter what I told myself. Truthfully, there was something there; some spark. A cunning smile slid across my face. I'm not one for mysteries so tonight I'll solve this one and figure out what that spark is.

Taking a break from deep thoughts, I admired myself in the mirror. The girls had done a bang-up job on me. By no means do I think I'm beautiful- I've always thought of myself as average. Tan skin, curly black hair, brown eyes, short, and slim. But tonight I could not believe my reflection in the mirror. Arwen had used some elvish balm to force my curls to shine and be obedient, rather than their normal tendency to impersonate Medusa. Ariellan decorated my eyes by outlining them in black kohl that extended an inch past the slant of my eyes; they looked larger and more seductive. Kind Arwen had procured yet another dress for me. This one was a deep night-sky blue that hung in layers to my ankles, sleeves that flared out at the elbow, and a wide neckline that showcased part of my shoulders and dipped to threateningly low. Tasteful, of course, but certainly showed some cleavage, which has always been one of my frequented looks.

I rolled my rimmed eyes. I think their secret plan was to dress me up and show me off to all the male elves, ellyn they called them. Ariellan was too mischievous for her own good and I think she wanted to set me up with Haldir, thanks to all her not-so-subtle hints. How ironic that Arwen was assisting her when what I secretly wanted was to be hooked up with her brother.

Should I have told them about Elladan? No… I'm not even sure what is there. Far too early. And, it *is* her brother. I remember in high school when I started secretly dating my friend Carmen's older brother…. Yeah, that ended well.

A knock interrupted my reminiscence; likely it was Ariellan come to escort me. I opened the carved wooden door to spy a certain silver-haired elf on the other side. He looked as surprised as me, which is strange since he is the one expecting me and me not expecting him. Haldir's eyes widened and his jaw dropped open a little bit.

"So- Sofia. You look positively lovely."

I blushed a little; I am a girl after all. "Thanks Haldir. Not that I dislike seeing you, but what are you doing here?"

Cocking his head to the side, he smiled slightly and replied. "Ariellan sent word that she had to take care of an important task and would be unable to escort you to the banquet. She said she extends her humblest apologizes and hopes I will suffice as your escort."

Sighing deeply, I rolled my eyes. "Oh that Bridezilla. I should have guessed." I shut my door and Haldir and I began walking. He offered his arm, so I took it to be polite.

Giving me a quizzical look, he asked me, "What should you have guessed?"

I looked up at him a bit embarrassed. "Well, it's quite silly but I believe Ariellan is trying to set us up together." Haldir's response was to laugh deeply. Indignant, I glared up at him. "And what is so bloody funny? Is it funny to be set up with me?"

Haldir slowed his laughter and explained. "No! Not at all Vancarmiel. I just find it amusing because ever since Ariellan and Orophin announced their engagement she has attempted to find Rumil and me mates of our own. It's sweet that she wants Orophin's brothers to find happiness as well, but she is incredibly persistent about the matter. I should have known her plot when she sent that message earlier."

He glanced at me and I was still glaring at him. "Uh huh. Well. I really do not like the idea of being somebody's lame blind date."

Clearing his throat he turned to me and ran his hand through my hair. I shivered slightly… totally from the cold, of course. "While I do not understand that phrase, 'lame blind date', I assume it is negative. I assure you, I only laugh at my soon-to-be sister's hobby. However, for once she has acted admirably by procuring me a female who holds such admirable qualities and beauty such as yourself."

My heart took a tumble. Dammit, I am a sucker for poetic language. A woman would have to be blind to disagree that Haldir looked damn fine tonight. A soft-looking green tunic covered his broad shoulders and his hair was pulled half back in elegant, miniscule braids. Luscious lips that now smiled gently looked simply bitable.

Imaginary whistles and bells sounded the alarm in my mind that screamed 'Abort situation! Abort!' I admonished myself before I got too lost in the situation. Tonight I had a plan. To figure out Elladan. Haldir is not part of my plan.

I smiled teasingly at him. "Oh Marchwarden, I bet you said that to all the ladies."

Haldir smiled back. "You do not take compliments well, do you?"

I rolled my eyes at him and attempted to rebuild my barrier. I loathe it when people read me too easily. "Freud, please no psychoanalyzing tonight. Lets hurry to the banquet so I can eat and-", I winked, "be celebrated."

Shaking his head at me, he replied, "As you wish, Vancarmiel."

For the rest of the fifteen minute walk I pestered him with various questions about Lothlorien. I did not like the idea that Haldir might try to flirt with me again, since that would lead to me once again being rather awkward. Hence, vapid questions like 'How old are the trees?' and 'How long has Lothlorien been around?' I didn't focus on the answers too much. I was distracted by thoughts of Elladan and how bloody perfect (note sarcasm) it would look when Haldir and I walked in together. Thank you Ariellan!

However, there were so many people mingling and chatting I doubted anyone noticed us. A large clearing was lit by the soft lights of lanterns and a trio of musicians played softly on flutes and a harp. While the atmosphere itself was beautiful, so were the people inhabiting it. Each elf seemed to glow under the light of the waxing moon and lanterns. Or rather, it appeared that they themselves were glowing through their fair skin. All were dressed in gowns and tunics and almost everyone present had hair the color of Haldir. I was amazed at the lithe moments of the elves; they appeared to float rather than walk and all of them seemed so happy.

Suddenly I felt a bit self-conscious. Sure, I looked nice tonight but nothing compared to these elven women. Already I felt awkward, like I was at a junior high dance.

Lost in my analyzing, I almost forgot my arm was linked with Haldir's until he reassuringly patted my arm. "Nervous?"

I scoffed. "Of course not." Seeing his doubtful expression I amended my previous statement. "Well… maybe a little. I'm not quite sure what to expect."

Smiling gently at me he explained the night's plans without making me feel silly. Apparently I would sit at the head table with Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn, we would dine, and then we would dance. No big.

Haldir took me to the head table where Galadriel, Celeborn, Arwen, Aragorn, and Amras were already seated. At each end of the rectangular polished table sat Galadriel and Celeborn. To Galadriel's left sat Arwen, Aragorn, and Amras all on one side. There were three more chairs available on the other.

"Here you are, my lame blind date." Haldir's eyes twinkled with mirth.

"Thanks," I said dryly. "Glad to see you picking up some American phrases."

"Of course. And as my lame blind date, you are required to dance with me this evening."

"Dance? Required?" I snorted. "Silly Haldir, I am not someone you give requirements to. That's a sure-fire way to have me do the opposite."

The cad stared into my eyes and attempted some reverse psychology. "My apologies. I meant to say, you are required to not dance with me at all tonight."

I smiled brightly. "Ok then! I won't."

He frowned in confusion. "You are a perplexing female, Vancarmiel."

Deciding to go easy on him, I smiled. "I'll save you at least one dance, Haldir."

He raised my hand to his lips and brushed them ever so softly across my hand. "I look forward to it." Before I had a moment to process that, he walked away and Galadriel spoke up.

"Sofia, please join us," came the soft voice of Galadriel. "Allow me to introduce my husband, and Arwen's grandfather, Lord Celeborn."

Celeborn was a tall and imposing figure who bowed his head in greeting. Light blond, thick hair fell almost to his waist and was pulled back half-way. As with Galadriel, I could sense he was an old and powerful being. "Please to meet you, Sofia the Vampire Slayer."

I bowed in return. "Pleased to meet you as well, Lord Celeborn. But you can just call me Sofia. Or, Reina Sofia would work as well." I grinned mischievously.

"Reina Sofia?" Arwen questioned.

My grin gave way to laughter. "It was my papi's nickname for me. Reina is the Spanish word for 'queen'. He tried to call me his little princess until I found out its queens who have the real power and I demanded he call me that instead." Everyone laughed at my silly childhood moment.

"Well, then, 'Reina Sofia'," Arwen winked, "please take a seat across from me."

My heart leapt slightly at the realization I might be able to make conversation with Elladan during dinner. But then sank again as the twins approached us. I could tell them apart because Elrohir looked sunny as usual and Elladan appeared more distant. He avoided my eye contact and sat down to me reluctantly, only because Elrohir had quickly sat next to Galadriel. Either Elladan was still upset about this morning or saw Haldir and me together. Fucking great.

Galadriel and Celeborn both rose to address the crowd. Celeborn's deep voice rang out into the crowd clearly. "Welcome my friends! Tonight we celebrate family and life. I am overjoyed to welcome my grandsons, Elladan and Elrohir, along with their sister, Arwen, to be with us tonight. My heart is overcome with delight that my family is with Galadriel and I again. We are also pleased to welcome the Chieftain Aragorn and his Dunedain who have ensured our grand-daughter received safe passage to our lands. Finally, we welcome a new guest to our lands. Her name is Sofia and her travel here was wrought with difficulty so we are pleased to see her healthy and safe. Now, let us enjoy the banquet!" All the elves and Dunedain raised the wine glass in the air and gave a toast.

Immediately upon the toast the air was abuzz with conversation. Several tables away I spied Ariellan, Orophin, Haldir, and a similar looking elf who I assumed was their brother Rumil. Plates full with meat and vegetables were set before us and everyone began eating. My earlier feelings of awkwardness returned as I realized I didn't know what to say to Elladan, even if he did talk to me.

"So, brothers, how was training with the Galadhrim today?"

"It went extremely well. As always, it is nice for Elladan and I to spar against people that can keep up." Elrohir started to laugh as Aragorn gave him a dirty look.

"Forgive me for not having the skills of the First Born," Aragorn stated sarcastically.

"What happened?" asked Celeborn.

Elrohir looked like a little kid about to blurt out a secret. "Let's just say that Aragorn and Elladan were sparring in hand-to-hand combat and he," he glanced at me, "got his ass kicked, as Sofia would say."

Aragorn grumbled as everyone else laughed. "I was not expecting Elladan's kick to have such 'kick' in it."

"What can I say; I felt the need to burn off some energy." Elladan smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Well, I hope you have the energy to dance," Arwen exclaimed brightly.

Elladan laughed dryly. "Always, sister."

"Good. Sofia and you still need to showcase the dance from her homeland."

My eyebrows drew up in surprise. I had forgotten about our agreement several nights ago. Glancing over at Elladan I saw he looked surprised as well. "Ah, I am not quite sure if I am ready to learn a new dance tonight. I am still rather sore from our sparring match earlier today."

My heart dropped. So he was still mad with me. I reminded myself about my 'mission'. No way was I letting Elladan elude me so easily. No more playing games. Well, his games anyways. "Oh, of course. I understand Elladan if you feel you cannot keep up with me. Salsa dancing is often difficult for less coordinated and less experienced men. It would be awful if your soreness hampered your *performance* on the dance floor." I smiled sweetly at him and his eyes flashed at me.

"Trust me, Sofia. You won't find a more coordinated and experienced elf than I." A competitive tone had entered Elladan's voice. I liked that.

"Wonderful. Then perhaps when we are done eating we can practice off to the side and we'll see if your words have any truth to them." I grinned slyly. It was almost too much fun egging him on. Hombre thought he could ignore me; let's see him try it when we're pressed together on the dance floor.

*Hombre (Spanish) - Man


	21. Dirty Dancing with Elladan

**Chapter 21: Dirty Dancing with Elladan**

Dinner had transitioned to the dance part of the elven banquet. Ten elves had begun playing their instruments that were comprised of brass, wind, and percussion. The music was fairly upbeat and the type of dancing reminded me of the 18th century line dances I had seen in movies like Pride and Prejudice. Not quite my style.

I turned to Elladan, who had spent the entire dinner being silent and rather sullen. "Ready to see if you can take me on?"

His grey eyes bore into my own. "I've been ready, Sofia." I gazed into his eyes for a moment, searching them. All at once he made me feel excited, nervous, and slightly fearful. I hated that.

He led past the lit lanterns and into the woods so we could practice without anyone seeing us. A faint glow from the party and the moon lit our surroundings, but shadows effectively covered much of the area. I looked at Elladan; really looked at him tonight. His lips were curved into a curt smile and his eyes looked like the sky before a storm. A tunic the same color as my dress, night-sky blue, clung to the muscles in his arms and outlined the ones on his chest. A thin braid crowned his dark head of hair and the rest of it hung freely. I realized this was the first time I had spent time with him alone since I was captured. How odd that it was thoughts of him that kept me calm then, while right now being near him was sending my heart into overdrive.

"Right then, lets get this over quickly. How does the dance go?"

I bristled at his cold tone. How dare he act like this to me! "You know Elladan, if it is really that much of a problem for you to touch me, to dance with me, then we can bloody well go right now. I can find another partner if Arwen wants to see salsa."

The storm in his eyes flared to life and his voice rolled like quiet thunder. "My apologies, Sofia. I just thought you may want to get back to your escort. But you're right, we can go now. I am sure you would rather teach _Haldir_ how to dance."

Oh no he did not! Without thinking my hand was on my hip and my eyes narrowed. "Perdoname? And what the hell makes you say that?" I knew why he said it, but I wanted him to say it out loud.

Elladan shook his head and scoffed at me. "Hmm, I wonder why I would say that. Perhaps because Haldir was in your bed this morning?"

"You're like a child jumping to conclusions!"

"Oh, so you deny you spent the night with Haldir?"

"You know? That is none of your bloody business in the first place! Who the hell do you think you are?" Adrenaline was coursing through my veins. Thoughts of my earlier mission was gone. Now all I could think about was my mounting anger.

Elladan's jaw clenched. "You're right, Vampire Slayer. What you do is none of my business."

"Then why the hell are you making snide remarks?" By now, both hands were on my hips and I was becoming jittery from the anger and adrenaline.

"Maybe, _maybe_ because I was foolish enough to think I would be the one embracing you that morning. How unfortunate I do not have my father's foresight so I could have not spent the previous days worrying over your safety." Elladan turned on his heel and started walking away.

On impulse I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. Unfortunately, Slayer strength should come with a warning label like medication. 'Do not operate under extreme levels of anger when dealing with a non-evil creature'. My strength had knocked him flat on his back and he looked at me in shock.

"Wonderful. First I find you this morning with Haldir and now you humiliate me again by knocking me on the ground."

I knelt down next to him. "Madre de Dios! I'm sorry, Elladan, I only meant to stop you." He started to get up but I pressed my hand on his chest to force him back down. Incredulous, he glared at me. "I'm sorry I knocked you down, but you are not leaving until I've had my say."

"I believe your non-verbals have been saying enough for you."

"You are such an idiot!" I cried out in exasperation.

"Oh yes, your verbals are quite good too," he state sarcastically.

"Callate! You _are_ being an idiot! I did not do _anything_ with Haldir last night! I was having an evil sorcerer hack into my dreams and Haldir just stayed to make me feel safe! And if you hadn't run off like a high school drama queen you _could_ have been the one embracing me this morning!" I hit him on the chest, lightly, for good measure.

His stormy eyes began to clear as he took in what I said. We were both breathing heavily from our fight and I was feeling wired. "So," he began quietly, "nothing occurred?"

I rolled my eyes, still angry. "No, idioto. Maybe if you had asked me earlier, you could have found out."

"And if I had asked you we would have, according to you, embraced?"

My heart accelerated. I am not very good with this type of confrontation. Fighting and killing, fo' sho'. Confessing feelings, totally not. Mentally, I began pulling down some of the bricks that provided me my barrier. I reminded myself I had a mission; to figure out what is there.

My hand still lay on his chest and I clenched the soft fabric between my fingers. "I do not understand what I feel for you, but I know this: When I was held captive and wanted to die, it was your face I saw. When I needed to calm myself in order to break free, it was the feel of you I imagined. When I pressed myself to continue crawling through to woods to freedom, it was you I thought of."

I had looked away from him during my confession. Elladan sat up and took my face gently to face him. I blinked back treacherous tears and as his eyes searched mine I saw he was blinking back his own. His voice had been turned husky by emotion. "Meleth… You cannot understand what those words mean to me." The tip of his finger laid a trail down my jaw line. "I confess I do not understand my feelings for you either. But when we discovered your capture, I…I felt a darkness cover my heart that I did not expect. The idea that you were lost to me, before I even had you, nearly drove me mad."

I tensed in his hold. I had achieved my mission, but at what price? With my heart broken already a year ago, what can come of this achievement?

Elladan proceeded to answer my silent question. Slowly, he lowered his head until I could feel his warm breath against my lips. "Perhaps," he whispered seductively, "we may embrace now, Sofia?" A tingle ran through me at his words. Lightly, his lips brushed over mine as if they awaited permission for access.

"Yes," I breathlessly answered. His lips pressed tenderly against mine and I almost gasped from the electric current that seemed to run between us. One hand ran through his soft, thick hair while the other caressed the soft skin of his cheeks. I shivered from the feel of his hands clutching my back as if he would never let go. We pulled back to catch our breath and both of us looked shaken. Intently I traced his lips with my finger so I could memorize this moment. "Wow," I gasped.

"Wow, indeed." Elladan pulled me to him again and this time the kiss was deeper, more passionate; fueled by the adrenaline of our earlier argument. We fell to the forest floor and each aspect of my body felt like it was on fire. Each touch, each exploration of hands and tongues; it was like nothing I had ever experienced before. It made me think of other things; like horizontal dancing.

Dancing. I almost forgot. I drew back from him gently. "Elladan, we should probably work on dancing or else everyone will wonder where we are."

He grinned wickedly and gave me a smoldering gaze. "Let them wonder." He kissed me again and I wasn't sure if I had the willpower to resist. It had been a year since I had been kissed like this. Actually, I wasn't quite sure if I had _ever_ been kissed like this. After gently nibbling on his lip, I put every ounce of willpower into standing up.

Elladan looked at me disappointingly, like an adorable puppy who wanted to continue playing. I laughed at his expression. "Trust me, salsa will be lots of fun."

For the next thirty minutes I taught him the basics of salsa, the steps and twirls. He seemed to enjoy how much our bodies touched in the process and quickly agreed that salsa is a lot of fun. After he got the hang of it we fixed our hair and clothes, and went back to the banquet. I felt like there was a big sign hanging over me saying 'Look at me! I just made out with an elf!' but no one seemed to notice our prolonged absence. Although, Galadriel did give me this knowing smile when she saw me… But I'm sure it was nothing.

For the next fifteen minutes, during the band's break, I taught them how to play salsa. If Arwen wanted us to perform for everyone then I needed some dancealicious music to lead the way. I had trouble thinking of a song beat but ended up teaching them La India's 'Ese Hombre'. Sadly, I am not very musically inclined, but these elves were exceptional. After some humming and explaining the beat they caught on very quickly. I suppose hundreds or thousands of years of musicianship would do the trick.

Arwen's clear voice rang out to announce my moment. "Ellyn and Ellith! If I could have your attention." All eyes were drawn to her. "Our dear friend Sofia is very, very far from home. The other night she agreed to show us a dance from her homeland and my brother Elladan agreed to learn the steps. We want to welcome Sofia and look forward to learning this new dance."

I stepped forward with Elladan at my side. "From observing your moments on the dance floor, I must warn you that the dance of my people is far different. This type of danc, named salsa, is from my homeland and I am pleased to share it with you all." I gestured to the band and they began playing the opening chords. Elladan grinned at me in anticipation and I smiled back. Being with him made me feel calmer, as if the nightmare of my attack days earlier was nothing more than a dream.

One set of hands clasped and the other on each other's back, we began moving in time with the beat. Our bodies were close together as our feet moved in sync. Forward, back. Forward, back. Then came time for the spins. Elladan clasped my two hands above his as I circled right and then left. My hands came down to encircle his hand and once they reached his neck I unclasped them and trailed them down his arms. Grabbing my hands he spun me half-way around into his chest and then completed the same move to his other side.

I grinned up at him. "Not bad, rookie."

"I assure you, Sofia, I may be a rookie in your style of dancing but I know how to move my body." Elladan smiled smugly at me.

My eyes widened at his flirtation and he threw me outward and pulled me back into his embrace. I was breathing heavy, and I don't think it was from the strenuous moves. Still in his embrace, I whispered, "You may have years of experience, but I have skills you couldn't dream of."

Elladan grabbed both my hands and spun around me, leaving me facing his back and him clutching my hands to his chest. He pulled them down slowly. "Oh, I think I have dreamed about them."

My face flushed scarlet as I spun out of his embrace and began doing the steps in my own in a show of independence. As we had practiced earlier, he grabbed my waist from behind and spun me in a circle. I landed gracefully and extended my arm to him below my batted eyelashes in invitation. He took it and our feet began moving in sync again. I suppose he had a reason to be smug, he was nailing all the moves I taught him. When the music was drawing to a close he spun me out, pulled me in, and dipped me low. I lowered my head towards the ground as Elladan's face lowered to my chest.

The crowd broke out in cheers as we stood up, clasped hands, and bowed. While dirty dancing may not be an elvish norm, they sure seemed to appreciate it. Arwen came up to us he smile radiated her happiness. "Sofia! That was wonderful! The movements, so unlike ours but they were lovely. Please teach Aragorn and I!"

Elladan chuckled and kissed my still-clasped hand. "I will fetch us some beverage since my sister demands you attention." Arwen swatted him before he walked away.

Soon Ariellan and some other female elves were requesting me to teach them. Essentially the latter half of the banquet was a salsa lesson on one side of the dance floor. Clearly, it was not just the ellith who desired to learn; the males seemed to enjoy the dance just as much. Teaching the elves was so much fun and I must say, it was kind of nice to be able to teach people who have been alive for a few millennia!

After an hour of teaching I sat alone rubbing the soles of my feet. "Sofia, you have certainly been the belle of the ball tonight." I looked up at Haldir's smiling face and laughed lightly.

"Too bad no one told me being the belle of the ball meant sore feet."

"Are your feet too sore for another dance?"

I looked up at Haldir and contemplated. The flirting made me kind of uncomfortable and I wasn't sure if that was just him or not. With my recent confession to Elladan, I would hate to give Haldir the wrong idea or inflame Elladan. However, Haldir has shown to be a very good friend to me ever since I got here. It would be rude to ignore his request; especially when I enjoyed spending time with him. "Not at all, Haldir. Lead the way."

By now the band had taken a salsa break and was playing something fairly waltzy. "I'm not quite sure how to do this…" I trailed off.

Haldir raised an eyebrow at me. "You can teach us your dance but not learn our own?"

My lips pursed. "Of course not! I just meant you'll have to lead the way."

He smirked at my outburst. "I know what you meant. You're just amusing to get riled up."

I 'hmmmph'ed and he placed one hand on my waist and clasped my hand with the other. We began moving and I looked down at my feet to make certain they were going the right way. Haldir clucked his tongue and pulled my face up softly. "Do not watch your feet. Just look into my eyes, feel the dance. It's not about steps or form, but about feeling."

I looked into his blue eyes darkened by the dim light. We began to move slowly in circles and to the side. His hand felt warm on my back and I relaxed against him. That was the key to dancing- being relaxed.

"So," I started, "how is your evening going?"

"It started off well and it seems to be ending well." He smiled at me secretly.

Cocking my head to the side, I peered into his blue spheres. "You're kind of a flirt, ya know that?"

Haldir's chest rumbled with laughter. "I have heard that word addressed to me before Vancarmiel. I cannot help it if I am a speaker of truth when near a beautiful creature."

I laughed and shook my head at him. "You are quite the charmer, aren't you?"

"So says the creature who has bewitched me with her own charms." Haldir winked and smiled roguishly at me.

Again, I laughed. I began to feel more comfortable around Haldir, as I originally did. His flirts were nothing, I told myself. It's just how he is.

"Tomorrow, Sofia, you should visit my brothers and I. We're going to be training and I thought you might like to join us. As a warrior, I understand you probably cannot go for long without fighting."

I grinned at the thought of my fight with Elladan earlier. Yeah… Haldir had me pegged. "That sounds great, Haldir! I need to get back in practice."

The music ended. We both bowed and Haldir said, "Brilliant. We shall see you tomorrow then." He stood up and kissed my hand gently once again. "Hannon le for the dance, Vancarmiel"

"You're welcome Haldir." I yawned and quickly covered my mouth.

"Tired already?"

"Us simple human folk actually need to sleep, which by the look of this party, is not going to happen to the rest of the elves."

"Would you like me to escort you home now?"

Ooh. Awkward. "No thank you. I believe Elladan has already offered to walk me home."

Haldir's eyebrows rose slightly. "Indeed? I did not realize…"

Giving an embarrassed grin I said, "Its really no big deal, he's just walking me home."

His eyes brightened faintly. "Really?"

I felt myself trapped. I really did not feel like talking about Elladan so I just told Haldir the truth. "Um, actually, I really don't know what's going on…. But I think Elladan and I may be spending more time together while I'm here."

"Ah. Well, then. Lucky for Elladan." Haldir sighed. "I should probably return to Rumil who has drank a bit too much wine for his own good. Good night, Sofia."

"Good night, Haldir."

Like Haldir tapped out of the ring and played tag-team with Elladan, Elladan was at my arm next. "Ready to go home?"

I smiled. "Yes, please."

* Madre de Dios (Spanish): Mother of God

*Callate (Spanish): Shut up

*Meleth (Sindarin Elvish): Love

*Hannon lee (Sindarin Elvish): Thank you

Special thanks to:

*'Ese Hombre' by La India:

Ese hombre que tu vez ahi  
Que parece tan galante  
Tan atento y arogante  
Lo conozco como ami  
Ese hombre que tu vez ahi  
Que aparente ser divino  
Tan amable y efusivo  
Solo sabe hacer sufir  
Es un gran necio  
Un estupido engreido  
Egoista y caprichoso  
Un payaso vanidoso  
Inconciente y presumido  
Falso malo rencoroso  
Que no tiene corazon  
Lleno de celos sin razones ni motivos  
Como el viento impetuoso  
Pocas vezes carinoso  
Inseguro de si mismo  
Insoportable como amigo  
Insufirble como amor  
Repeat all of the above and with feeling girl  
Solo sabe hacer sufrir  
Tu no tienes corazon  
Me enganaste con traicion tu no tienes corazon  
Ese hombre que tu vez ahi  
Parece tan amable  
Pero no es agradable  
Me enganaste con traicion tu no tienes corazon  
Pocas vezes carinoso  
En un payaso vandioso  
Que me llena de dolor  
Tu no tienes corazon (repeat )  
Tu me enganaste  
Y me traicionaste  
No te quiero ya  
Falso malo rencorozo  
Ya no te quiero mas  
Tu me enganaste  
Tu me enganaste  
Y me traicionaste  
Y me traicionaste  
NO NO NO no...  
No quiero vertr mas  
NO NO NO ...  
Tu me enganaste  
Y me traicionaste  
Ah ah ya no te quiro mas  
Ya no voy a sufrir mas  
Ese hombre ya se va!


	22. A Week in Fair Lothlorien

**Chapter 22- A Week in Fair Lothlorien**

I glanced sidelong at Elladan as we came nearer to my door. The events of the last hour seemed to have gone by so quickly. I never would have thought this would have happened; Elladan and I. It seemed fairly surreal. I couldn't help but wonder what is next. We certainly professed our feelings for each other, both verbally and not. Do elves date? Does he expect to stay the night with me? I wish I had Buffy with me; she would be great to ask advice on how to date an immortal. However, since her relationship never got a fairy tale ending she probably would not be able to dispense beneficial advice.

"Here we are, Sofia."

I glanced up at him, suddenly feeling nervous and confused. "Yup." Ugh, some conversationalist I am.

"Will you meet me tomorrow for breakfast?"

I smiled at him. No staying the night expectations- Excellent. "Of course."

Elladan bent down and gave me a lingering kiss. "Sweet dreams, Sofia. Will you be alright by yourself tonight, or should I send for Arwen?"

Staring at him in determination I told him I was fine. "No need for a baby-sitter," I added.

Elladan looked contemplative. "Well, if you have any bad dreams just think of this." I was about to ask what when he pulled me to him in a crushing embrace and a deep kiss that left me breathless.

I stood back speechless, my lips still tingling. "Al- Alrighty then."

"Good night, Sofia."

"Good night, Elladan."

Quickly I went into my room before temptation gave in and I pulled him in with me. Damn! That elf sure can kiss! Of course, with thousands of years of practice… I felt a bit sick at that. Whatever- I wiped those thoughts out of my head. The past is the past.

Like most girls who have begun a new relationship, I felt a bit giddy and prone to giggles. I had a strong urge to call up Vi or Willow. Willow and I had grown incredibly close after the death of Erik since she had experienced a similar loss with Tara. And Vi was my homegirl. It hurt to not be able to pick up the phone and call them.

Nope, no moping. For the first time in a week I was truly happy. With those thoughts, and memories of Elladan's kisses, I fell to sleep without a care in the world.

****************************************************************************************

The next week passed quickly as I fell into a routine. In the mornings I would have breakfast with Elladan in his talan, afterwards I would shadow Ariellan as she taught me some of their ways of healing, and then Ariellan, Arwen, and I would have lunch. A couple times Galadriel or the twins would join us. Time with Ariellan was interesting because I have never known much about healing other than I like band-aids. Spending as much time in combat as I do meant this new knowledge would be greatly helpful.

After lunch I trained with Haldir, his brothers, and other marchwardens in hand-to-hand combat, swordplay, and longbow. In hand-to-hand I typically kicked ass but they were teaching me many new tricks in swordplay. As for longbow, Haldir was introducing it to me. Often I have used crossbows but I have never had much opportunity to fire a bow and arrow. I've spent the last week begging him to let me attempt using flaming arrows but he keeps saying 'maybe later', which sounds just like Buffy my first week at training when I wanted to use the big shiny swords. She made me wait a whole two months to use one, all because 'You need to hone your basics, Sofia.' Argh. I am not a patient person.

After training I washed up and attended dinner. The last meal of the day was a larger affair that included various members of Celeborn and Galadriel's court (including Haldir, his brothers, and Ariellan), the Dunedain, Arwen, Elladan and Elrohir, and myself. After dinner was my favorite part. That was when Elladan and I would sneak off someplace. We would go on walks in the forest, he showed me the hot springs, we would climb the trees, and spend a good portion of our time cuddling. I loved every minute of our time together and I cherished it.

During our talks we agreed not to mention our relationship with anyone else yet, even his brother and sister. We both weren't sure where things were heading and we wanted to stay on the DL, the down-low (my words, not his. But he is learning an impressive array of slang!). Neither of us spoke of the future often but it always hung over us. I was mortal, he was not. I belonged to another world, he belonged here. At this time I don't think either of us could leave our world for the other's. Not to mention, we both lead very dangerous lives. For me, it was hard to talk about the future when I wasn't even sure if I had one.

As far as we knew, Mavlar still thought I was dead. The scouts of Lothlorien did not discover contrasting information. Finally today, the eight day after the banquet, Gandalf would be arriving. He sent word several days ago of his arrival. Apparently, he comes bearing information on why I was captured and what Sauron could be up to. I had told the full story of my capture to Galadriel, Celeborn, and Aragorn and all seemed anxious to hear Gandalf's news.

I walked outside my talan and gazed at my surroundings. Every day I woke up the view was absolutely lovely, nothing like Cleveland or England. The crisp smell of nature, the far off singing of elves, the beauty and strength of the trees; it was unrealistic. I thought about the Slayers and Scoobies back home. As of today it had been… what? Fifteen days since I left? Of course, that is in Middle-Earth time. When I saw Willow she said back home I had been gone two days while it had been four days here. If that is true then time moves twice as fast in Middle-Earth as it does in my dimension. Which would mean I've been gone from home almost eight days.

What on earth has Willow and the others been working on? I wondered why they hadn't come for me yet. Are cross-dimensional portals really that hard to open?

Although… While thoughts of return had consumed me my first week here, by now I was thinking of home less and less. Elladan was a large reason, but I also enjoyed the life I was making here. Ariellan and Arwen were becoming great friends to me, as were Haldir, Orophin, and Rumil. Well, Haldir sometimes made me feel uncomfortable with his flirtation but he was still my friend. I could just never tell if _he_ wanted more than friendship from me.

Speaking of which… "Mae Governan, Haldir!" Elladan had been teaching me elvish in the evenings. Although most of it was probably a bit too naughty to say in public, he was teaching me some useful phrases as well.

Haldir chuckled. "Mae Governan, Sofia. I see your *ahem* nightly language lessons with Elladan are going well."

I tried to fight it, but the blush spreading across my cheeks won out. I gave Haldir a disdainful look in return. The bastard just smiled at me. Ugh. Men. Or, I corrected myself, ellyn.

"I came to show you the way to the meeting with Gandalf."

I rolled my eyes at him. "I know where the meeting talan is Haldir. I am not an idiot."

"Really?" He raised that damn eyebrow of his. "I must have confused you with another human girl who gets lost every night on the way to dinner with the Lady and Lord of the Woods."

"Can it, Elf-Boy." We began walking through the labyrinth of trees and talans.

"When you speak, Sofia, it is like warm honey drips of your saccharine tongue. Imagine, I call you by such a thoughtful and considerate nickname such as Vancarmiel and you call me Elf-Boy. Do all young ladies of your world have manners as divine as yours?"

I fought the urge to push him over the railing and smiled at him sweetly. "Oh Elf-Boy, trust me. I'm one of a kind."

Haldir smirked. "Yes, I'd imagine you are."

Soon we were approaching the meeting talan. Well I _think_ we were getting closer since we had walked up some stairs, taken a few rights and then a few lefts and walked up some more stairs and then walked straight for a while….Seemed about right. Wherever we were, it didn't matter because something weird was happening. The air in front of shimmered and shifted. Fuuuuuck.

"What is this witchcraft?"

"Fuck. I think it's a portal. Draw your weapon!" Since my stay I had been outfitted with my dagger in my boots and a medium-sized sword in my belt. The portal burst open and I felt a pressure on the solar plexus when the portal began sucking me in. I shouted and waved my sword, trying in vain to cut whatever linked me to what lay on the other side.

" Vancarmiel! No!" Haldir seized my arm not waving a sword and tried to pull me away. But the force was pulling him along with me.

"Haldir, get out of here! Leave me!" I tried to shake him off me.

His blue eyes pierced mine. "I will never leave you, Sofia."

My breath caught in my throat. Not just because of the intensity of his gaze, but because we were sucked into the portal.

My last thoughts were 'Ayudame, Dios. Por favor.'

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Who is at the other end of that portal? Is it Mavalr, Sauron's go-to Bad Guy? Or Willow and the Scoobies? Or maybe someone random, like Clem trying to conjure kittens or Paris Hilton's newest reality tv show 'I Can't Find a Best Friend on Earth so I'll Find One from Another Dimension!' And what kind of trouble is Haldir trying to brew in Elladan and Sofia's happy time?

Keep reading to find out ;)

*Ayudame, Dios. Por favor (Spanish): Help me, God. Please.


	23. Mystical Madness at the Browns' Stadium

**Chapter 23: Mystical Busyness at the Browns' Stadium**

AUTHOR'S NOTE: There is quite a bit of Spanish (hokay, really its Spanglish ;) in this chapter. In the end notes I have provided translations so please check that out.

And as always, please review. I love to hear your thoughts and know people are reading. It gives me warm fuzzies :)

You know, people think of grass and dirt as soft but that's a common misconception. I can attest to that. I landed face first in recently mowed grass and it hurt like hell. Felt like someone threw me. Or something.

I glanced back to where I came from and saw, through spotted vision, the portal closing up. "Fuck!" I tried to stumble to my feet when two arms grabbed me roughly from behind. I threw my head back and heard a satisfying crack as I busted someone's nose. Their grip loosened and I ripped free of their grasp. I pivoted and expected to find a fight.

Not quite so.

"What the hell, girlfriend? Damn, you always so tense after being sucked into a portal?" Faith was holding a bloody nose and looked pissed off. Although, Faith often looked pissed off. She had a badass reputation and had been a slayer for nine years, only behind Buffy in years of slayage. Word on the street was her temper and behavior were both better than they were during the days of Sunnydale. After seeing her in action the last five years, I sure am glad I didn't know her back then.

"Dawg, Faith! I am _so_ sorry!"

She mean-mugged me and then smiled reluctantly. "Its cool, Sof. Just make sure we get a chance to spar while you're here."

Next Vi ran up and jumped on me. "Sofia! Oh my gosh I thought you were gone for good! I am so glad to see you!"

I laughed and spun Vi around. "Dude, you have _no_ idea how good it is to see you! How did you-" I didn't finish my question because I saw Willow and Dawn standing off to the side. Willow waved and Dawn looked extremely pleased with herself. Since the Watcher's Council had been reopened Dawn had begun apprenticing with Willow in the magickal arts. The girl definitely had talent, I wonder if that had to do with her mystical beginnings.

I grabbed both of them in a tight hug; too tight apparently since they started to wheeze a little bit. Slayer strength, what can I do?

"So Sof, who's your hot friend? You been hangin' with Robin Hood and some merry men?"

So caught up with everything it wasn't until Faith said something that I realized Haldir had come through the portal with me. "Haldir! Are you ok?"

He got up gingerly and smoothed his tunic. "I am ok, Vancarmiel. Are these your friends you spoke of?"

I smiled widely. "Yes, they are friends. This is Faith, who is in charge of the Slayer operation here in my home city of Cleveland. This is Vi, another Slayer who serves here. Over there is Willow, the most badass witch in this dimension"

"Aw, well I don't know about thaaat." Willow grinned.

"And this is Dawn, who is an apprentice of Willow's and a burgeoning badass witch herself. Guys, this is Haldir of Lothlorien. He's an elf where I've been staying."

"Welcome, Haldir." Faith winked.

"Howdy! Welcome to the Hellmouth!" greeted Vi. Only she could be so cheerful when greeting people to the mouth of Hell.

"Excuse me?" Haldir looked confused. So did all my friends when they heard him speak.

"Oh, he doesn't speak English?" Willow inquired.

I remembered Gandalf's spell that allowed my English to translate into Westron and vice-versa. Dammit. "Ah, no. He speaks Westron and Elvish. But he can understand me because my English automatically translates into Westron. Damn, Will. Can you conjure some Rosetta Stone mojo?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. I could try."

"Well, whatever you do, can we try back at HQ? You buzzed those guards pretty well but who knows how long they'll be out of it." Faith- Straight to the point as always.

I looked around and realized I was back on the 50-yard line of the Cleveland Browns stadium. Hmm, must be something magickal about this place. It's a shame it's not the football team.

We left abruptly before we were noticed. Willow had stunned the guards (Faith had been disappointed tonight didn't call for knocking people out herself) so no one would notice our clandestine activities. Within twenty minutes we were holed up in the Slayer office. It was located in an undisclosed spot downtown on the top floor of a high-rise. Luckily, they did not have to worry about rent. Robin Wood, son of the Slayer Nikki, beau to Faith, and co-leader of the Cleveland operation, went entrepreneur on us. He quickly found out that several prominent businesses were thankful to finally have someone battling the denizens of hell and gave the organization most excellent discounts.

The office took the entire top floor and featured specific offices for the leaders like Robin and Faith, general ones for the slayers, a training room, a library, a meeting room, and a lounge full of delicious chocolaty-goodness. MMM… I had missed chocolate these last two weeks. It was very fortunate that Vi knew me so well because as soon as we walked into the office she tossed me a candy bar. _Que delicioso, me encantalo_.

We all took spots in the meeting room and reclined on plush leather chairs. I glanced over at Haldir and chuckled softly at his amazement. On the way over I explained more of my world and he could not believe our creations. He didn't care much for the care ride though, said he preferred horses any day.

Faith started the meeting. "Ok Sofia, its go time. What's the scoop on your vacation to Neverland?"

I stood up and took a deep breath. I told them everything, from killing the fell beast to the Dunedain to being captured by Dregos to Gandalf to being tortured by Mavlar and the orcs to my recovery at Caras Galadhon. Suffice to say, it was a mouthful. While I mentioned everyone I had met, I did leave out my smoochy time with Elladan. No way was this a good time to address that.

"You've been busy," commented Dawn when I finished.

"Like a bee. So, what have you guys been doing, besides walking in my dreams and summoning portals?"

Willow did the explanations. "When I spoke to you in your dream I told you about numerous portals being opened up. Teams have been assembled to deal with them and eliminate the orcs, as you called them. We know that a sorcerer has been opening them, who I assume is the same person you spoke of named Mavlar. Our magickal detection system has been alerting us each time a portal is opened and it appears Mavlar is still searching for that Master Vampire that can trace his lineage back to the beginning.

"Our sources found us this text," Willow brought forward a large leather bound book with fraying edges. "The prophet who wrote it is named Tolkien. I've been spending the last three days, since we acquired it, translating the text. I have been able to discern a few words here and there, but nothing definite. However, there is a handy-dandy map that helped me find you."

"How did you know how to open the portal where I was?"

"Elementary my dear Watson!" We all gave Dawn a look. She could be such a dork sometimes, but a lovable dork nonetheless.

Willow laughed. "Actually it was Dawnie that realized we could scry for you using the map. That's how we figured out you were in Lothlorien but it took many attempts to penetrate that area with a portal."

Haldir's eyes had perked up at the mention of his homeland. I took a moment to explain everything Willow had said.

"Of course," he told me. "Lady Galadriel is quite powerful and she long ago established shields to protect our borders. I am surprised your friend could penetrate the protection at all. I can only surmise that she was successful because it was not dark magic."

I forwarded the information to Willow and added, "This is going to get old, fast. Can't you zap him or something?"

Willow frowned at me, a look I had unfortunately bore witness to far too many times. "Let's just finish reporting before I start 'zapping' anyone."

I held my hands up in surrender. "Okay, Okay."

"Anyways, so here were are."

"And now we're done reporting?" I questioned.

Willow pursed her lips. "Yes."

"Wait, wait, wait," began Vi. "Let's get this straight. So in Middle-Earth there is an evil Dark Lord named Sauron who wants to take over their world. He hired some, what did you call him? Graveyard Pimp Daddy mystic named Mavlar to open up portals in our world to find a Master Vampire who can trace his lineage. And Mavlar captured Sofia to give her to some 'Mistress Herald' so she could drink her blood."

"Yup, that's bout right," I drawled. I passed Vi's summary over to Haldir. "So what do we do now," I asked.

"We'll do what we do every Tuesday night- research."

"But Faith, tonight is Saturday."

"Dawnie, it's just an expression."

Faith, Dawn, and Vi began poring through books looking for references to Middle Earth, Sauron, Mavlar, a Mistress Herald, or a vampire who can produce a neatly drawn pedigree chart. Willow, Haldir, and I went into the library so she could look up a spell. Fortunately for us, since Willow has been a badass witch for almost ten years and knows her way around the library books, it did not take too long.

"Okay, Haldir. It might hurt, I know it hurt me when Gandalf did it, but soon you'll be speaking English like an American!" I thought about that. "Actually, Americans don't speak English very good. Maybe, Will, you can teach him the Brit way?"

"It's well."

I looked at her examining the spell in confusion. "Well? You changed your nick name?"

A smile crossed her lips. "Americans don't speak English very _well_."

"I _know_ that. That's just what I said. It's why you should give Elf-Boy a Brit transplant. Like how that old GPS model had a cute little British lady to do the directions!"

She rolled her eyes in exasperation and shook her head. "Never mind. Ok, let's get this started."

"Saraswati, hear my call,

and enter into our hall.

Witness this elf,

And give a piece of yourself.

Let your knowledge flow,

And let his knowledge grow.

Let him to hear and speak,

The English that he seeks."

Haldir interlaced his fingers across his brow in a look of wonderment. "Does it hurt?" I asked

He gave me a dazzling smile. "Actually, no. It tingled a bit."

"Well, that's not fair at all. When Gandalf did it to me it hurt like hell!"

Willow laughed, obviously pleased with her skills.

"Thank you very much, Willow. You are even more talented than Sofia described you." Haldir gave her a short bow.

"Oh, its no big. I'm just good with the magicks." She shrugged but kept smiling.

"Willow, how long will it take for us to return to Caras Galadhon? We were on our way to a meeting to discuss the issue of Sauron's plan with my Lady and Lord and the Wizard Gandalf."

"I'm not sure, Haldir. To be honest, I wasn't planning on opening up a portal again; right away at least. Today was more of a rescue mission to get Sofia. We didn't expect a special guest star."

"At any rate, Will, we need to give the elves and Dunedain what we have learned. Who knows what will happen when Mavlar finds his special someone, so the sooner the better."

"I agree. But opening that portal and breaking through Galadriel's barrier took a lot of energy. Even with Dawnie, I'm not ready yet for an encore. Maybe tomorrow, but not yet."

Haldir frowned. "I understand the limitations of magic, Willow. But I fear what my people will think once we have disappeared."

I disagreed. "With someone powerful like Galadriel and Gandalf around, I bet they can figure it out. Like bloodhounds to magick, they should know what happened to us. Hopefully. Hopefully they figure out the good guys got us."

"I hope you're right, Vancarmiel."

"Vancarm-what?"

"In my language, it means 'beautifully created'."

A look came into Willow's eyes, a dark and treacherous look. As soon as Haldir was out of sight I knew she was going to question me about my nickname and my relationship with Haldir. "Well, that is just a lovely name."

"Yes, yes. Will, what's the scoop on my family? What did you tell them when I didn't come back?"

"Standard procedure. Faith called them using the voice modificator Xander made and pretended to be you."

I winced. "The idea of Faith impersonating me is not reassuring."

Willow's face looked pain for a second and was gone just as quickly. Damn. I had forgotten that, about eight years ago Faith impersonated Buffy in a very bad way. Always gotta put my foot in my mouth, I do.

"It went fine. She told your mother that one of your friends was in the hospital in England and you had to leave right away."

"Guess that one is decent enough." Lord knows I've gone through enough excuses in the last five years. Living away from home helps a lot, but its still difficult. Sometimes I've thought about fessing up but decided not to for several reasons. 1. My familia is highly skilled in the field of gossip and I doubt they could refrain from telling all my uncles and cousins who would then tell their relatives, etc. 2. My mama would have a hella hard time accepting it. I cannot imagine her accepting who I am. 3. I didn't want them to get hurt. The more people that know, the more that can get hurt.

"Does your family live nearby?"

"Yes, within fifteen minutes."

"Excellent. If we are going to be here for a day that will give us enough time to meet them."

"Ah, what?" I looked at him and realized he was serious. "No, no, no. That's not a good idea. At all."

"Why not? You have met my family."

Willow took that moment to quietly escape out the door.

"Yeah, but… You're an elf. My parents do not know about my slayage and that creatures besides humans exist."

"Vancarmiel, I remember our talk the first day we met. I understand your reasons for keeping your family in the dark but I would like to meet them regardless." Haldir's blue eyes pierced my own and a soft smile lit his features.

"Well, maybe. I guess I could say you were an exchange student."

"Then it's settled."

I called up my family on Faith's office line. After several rings Ramon answered.

"Hello?"

I smiled at the sound of his voice. My sixteen-year old brother could be hella aggravating at times but I felt so happy hearing him. "_Hola, hermanito_. _Que pasa contigo_?"

He sounded incredulous. "Sofia? Damn, sis. Mama _tiene enojada_ a _ti_. You left, _como_ _Tio_ Eddy would say, like a bat out of hell. Not to mention you left _todas tus cosas_."

Biting my lip, I resolved myself once again to lie to _mi familia_. "_Lo siento_, Ramon. I couldn't help it. I had to fly out immediately; they said my friend was badly hurt."

"_Esta_ _bien_, _lo se_. But you know mom. She's always pissed when you take off like that."

"_Esta_ _alli_?"

"_Claro_. You want to talk to her?"

"Do I want to talk to her? No. Will I? _Si_."

"Alright." In the background I could hear Ramon screaming for mom and her shouting back. I prepared myself for her. As always, she begun out in a sugary voice meant to lure me in. I glanced over at Haldir. He could hear every word said on the phone and looked mildly amused.

"_Mija_, to what do I owe the pleasure of hearing your voice?"

"_Nada_, mama. Just wanted to call and see what's up and how you are."

She sighed heavily. Always the melodramatic one, she is. Woman could have starred on her own telenovela. "_Mi amor_, I am fine. Yes, yes. Just sitting here with my children, well two of my children. My other child has the tendency to disappear into the night like a burglar."

Hitting my head lightly against the wall I tried to warn myself to play nice. "Mama, it couldn't be helped."

"_Claro que no_. I am sure you did not have time in the whole *two* days you were gone to tell your mother, the one who bore your tiny body for nine months while she got bloated and had swollen feet, where you had gone."

I gulped. Willow didn't tell me Faith took _that _long to contact my family. "_Sabes que_ the phones over there. International calls are _difícil_. _Lo_ _siento muchisimo. Nunca mas, te prometo_."

My mama made a 'hhhhhmph' noise and paused. "_Donde estas aqui_?"

"_Ahorita_ _estoy en Cleveland_."

Mama gasped, but it was that exaggerated kind of gasp moms do when they want to lay on a guilt trip. "_Que_? Why are you not home at the casa?"

"_Madre de Dios_ mama, I just flew in."

She clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "Do not take the holy name in vain." I swear I could hear her doing the sign of the cross on the other end.

"Si, mama."

"_Bueno_. Well, come home tonight."

"Ah… _Pero_ mama, it's already midnight. I was just going to stay at Faith's."

Like any time I mention Faith, my mama made a disapproving noise. "Ay, that Faith is bad news. She's a wild child, she is."

"Mama, I swear she's good people. Besides," I figured it was either now or never that I mention Haldir, "I brought a guest and I need to make sure they have a place to stay. If come home then he'll have to stay at Faith's and that would be awkward for both of them." Please, I begged, please don't make me come home tonight. I wanted to prevent Haldir from meeting my family if at all possible. The less weirdness they saw, the better.

"_Quien es_?" There was a disapproving tone in her voice. She's not terribly old fashioned, but probably did not like the idea of me spending time with any guy.

"He's from school. He's an international student. His name is Haldir."

"Where is he from and why is he here?"

I stared at Haldir for a moment and took in his fair skin, height, and silver locks. "Ah, he's from the Netherlands. He studies with me at Oxford and wanted to come back with me so he could… backpack through the U.S." Not bad Sofia, not bad at all. A pretty good cover story.

"_Mija_! If this young friend of yours is visiting the United States then he must experience what life is like here. Don't make him sleep at whatever hovel your friend Faith stays at-"

"It's not a hovel," I bristled.

"Regardless, you will bring him here. He can stay in Ramon's bed and Ramon can sleep on the couch."

Haldir seemed to like that idea a lot. I did not.

"Um, no _se mama. Seguras es un buen idea_?"

"Sofia Isabella Ramirez, you will bring that boy home pronto! Not another word! _Hasta pronto_!"

I glared at the phone in my hand. "Your mother sounds very, very interesting." Haldir grinned.

"Extremely," I grumbled.

"I cannot wait to meet the woman that bosses you around." He chuckled deeply.

"Quiet." I threw a pen at his head but his damn elven reflexes got to it.

We walked out the lounge where Faith, Willow, Vi, and Dawn were reading. "Where's the rest of the girls?" I asked.

"Robin took Chao-Ahn and three of the new chicks out hunting this vamp nest on the East side. Caridad is out slumming in the demon bars with Lucy to see what's the word on this Master Vamp." Chao-Ahn and Caridad were both part of the Sunnydale battle five years ago. Since Cleveland's Hellmouth had increased in demonic activity after Sunnydale closed shop Buffy and Giles thought veterans were important to the base here.

"Thanks Faith. How's your nose?"

She gave me a wicked grin. "Its five-by-five. I'll see you soon in training, yeah?"

I nodded and gave a wicked smile of my own. I had proven to be among the elite of the 700 slayers in the operation but Faith's only rival was Buffy. It was always good to hone my skills against her. "Of course. By the way, if you guys don't mind I think we're gonna get going back to my parents' house for the night."

Dawn giggled. "Aw, did your mama ground you again?"

I glared at her. "Laugh it up Dawnie."

Vi interjected before I could continue with a threat. "Before you go home, shouldn't you get Haldir some normal clothes?"

"What in Middle-Earth is wrong with my clothes? This is the apparel of a Galadhrim warrior."

Dawn snorted. "Yeah, and you looked like you're from a renaissance fair!"

Faith walked into Robin's office and brought out some clothes. "Robin is a big," she winked, "man. Sofia, do you think Haldir is _big_ also; as in to fit in these clothes? Or should I scrounge for something a bit smaller?" Her dark brown eyes glowed with glee at her innuendo attempts. To be fair, if one of the other girls brought a sexy elf back from another dimension I would have to give the a hard time too.

"Um…" I wished in vain I had just picked up a t-shirt at Wal-Mart.

"That clothing may be a good fit. I'll try that on."

"Well, okay Haldir. But a woman's opinion is important. What do you think Sofia?" Vi, Willow, and Dawn were attempting to hide their laughter behind me.

"I wouldn't know, Faith."

She searched my expression for the truth. "Hmmm… Ok then." She handed the clothes back to Haldir and directed him to Robin's office.

I didn't even have a second to prepare before the attack started.

"So, what's been going on with him?"

"Are you two dating?"

"He is hot!"

"Getting some elf nookie?"

Vi and Willow were the two respectful ones while Dawn focused on his looks and Faith, as always, on a more primitive subject. I hushed them. "Hello? Elf equals good hearing. Keep it down!"

"We're just excited for you Sofia! Tell us about him before he returns!"

"Vi, ladies. There's nothing to tell. He is a good friend of mine" Seeing Faith's snicker I added, "and nothing else." The door started to open so I cut off further conversation with my hand.

"So, didja see those Indians play last night? One hell of a game! Mmm-hmm." I rolled my eyes at Dawn for her weak attempt at smoothness. Scary to think she's developing into a powerful witch when she can be a little air-headed at times.

I glanced over at Haldir. The elf looked damn fine in some pressed black pants and a deep blue button-up shirt that matched his eyes. I saw the eyes of my friends traveling over to him, even Willow's. It was amusing, but kind of annoying to have them check Haldir out like that.

"Ok, let's go Haldir. See you guys tomorrow." I waved good-bye. "Time to meet the family," I muttered. I clutched Faith's car keys in my hand and we left for the parking garage.

And I thought things were bad being stuck in Middle-Earth. Just goes to prove that you should be careful for what you wish for.

Snap, crackle, and pop! Will Haldir use his suave ways to find parental approval? Or will Sofia's parents see his long hair and call him a damn dirty hippy? Only time will tell… *smiles evilly*

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*Que delicioso, me encantalo (Spanish)- How delicious, I love it.

* Saraswati- Hindu goddess: "She is associated with purity and creativity, especially in the context of communication, such as in literary and verbal skills"

*telenovela- a Spanish-speaking soap opera

*Special thanks to:

- .org/wiki/Sarasvati

--------------------------------------------------------------------

***Here is the translated conversation Sofia has with her brother Ramon and her mother:**

I called up my family on Faith's office line. After several rings Ramon answered.

"Hello?"

I smiled at the sound of his voice. My sixteen-year old brother could be hella aggravating at times but I felt so happy hearing him. "_Hola, hermanito_. _Que pasa_ _contigo_?" (**Hello little brother. What's up with you?)**

He sounded incredulous. "Sofia? Damn, sis. Mama _tiene enojada_ a _ti_. (**Mama's angry with you** )You left, _como_ _Tio_ Eddy would say (**like uncle Eddy),** like a bat out of hell. Not to mention you left _todas tus cosas_." **(all your stuff)**

Biting my lip, I resolved myself once again to lie to _mi familia_. "_Lo siento_, Ramon **(my family. I'm sorry Ramon**.) I couldn't help it. I had to fly out immediately; they said my friend was badly hurt."

"_Esta_ _bien_, lo se. **(Its ok, I know)** But you know mom. She's always pissed when you take off like that."

"_Esta_ _alli_?" **(Is she there)**

"_Claro_. **(Of course)** You want to talk to her."

"Do I want to talk to her? No. Will I? _Si_." **(Yes)**

"Alright." In the background I could hear Ramon screaming for mom and her shouting back. I prepared myself for her. As always, she begun out in a sugary voice meant to lure me in. I glanced over at Haldir. He could hear every word said on the phone and looked mildly amused.

"_Mija_**,(My daughter**) to what do I owe the pleasure of hearing your voice?"

"_Nada_, mama. **(Nothing mama)** Just wanted to call and see what's up and how you are."

She sighed heavily. Always the melodramatic one, she is. Woman could have starred on her own telenovela. "_Mi amor_, **(My dear)** I am fine. Yes, yes. Just sitting here with my children, well two of my children. My other child has the tendency to disappear into the night like a burglar."

Hitting my head lightly against the wall I tried to warn myself to play nice. "Mama, it couldn't be helped."

"_Claro que no_. **Of course not** I am sure you did not have time in the whole *two* days you were gone to tell your mother, the one who bore your tiny body for nine months while she got bloated and had swollen feet, where you had gone."

I gulped. Willow didn't tell me Faith took _that _long to contact my family. "_Sabes que_ the phones over there. International calls are _difícil_. _Lo_ _siento muchisimo. Nunca mas, te prometo_."** (You know the phones over there. International calls are difficult. I am very sorry. Never again, I promise)**

My mama made a 'hhhhhmph' noise and paused. "Donde estas aqui?" **(Where are you now?)**

"_Ahorita_ _estoy en Cleveland_." **(Right now, I'm in Cleveland)**

Mama gasped, but it was that exaggerated kind of gasp moms do when they want to lay on a guilt trip. "_Que_? **(Why?)** Why are you not home at the casa?"

"_Madre de Dios_ mama, I just flew in." **(Mother of God)**

She clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "Do not take the holy name in vain." I swear I could hear her doing the sign of the cross on the other end.

"Si, mama."

"_Bueno_. Well, come home tonight." **(Good)**

"Ah… _Pero_ mama, it's already midnight. I was just going to stay at Faith's." **(But)**

Like any time I mention Faith, my mama made a disapproving noise. "Ay, that Faith is bad news. She's a wild child, she is."

"Mama, I swear she's good people. Besides," I figured it was either now or never that I mention Haldir, "I brought a guest and I need to make sure they have a place to stay. If come home then he'll have to stay at Faith's and that would be awkward for both of them." Please, I begged, please don't make me come home tonight. I wanted to prevent Haldir from meeting my family if at all possible. The less weirdness they say, the better.

"Quien es?" **(Who is it?)** There was a disapproving tone in her voice. She's not terribly old fashioned, but probably did not like the idea of me spending time with any guy.

"He's from school. He's an international student. His name is Haldir."

"Where is he from and why is he here?"

I stared at Haldir for a moment and took in his fair skin, height, and silver locks. "Ah, he's from the Netherlands. He studies with me at Oxford and wanted to come back with me so he could… backpack through the U.S." Not bad Sofia, not bad at all. A pretty good cover story.

"Mija! **(My Daughter)** If this young friend of yours is visiting the United States then he must experience what life is like here. Don't make him sleep at whatever hovel your friend Faith stays at-"

"It's not a hovel," I bristled.

"Regardless, you will bring him here. He can stay in Ramon's bed and Ramon can sleep on the couch."

Haldir seemed to like that idea a lot. I did not.

"Um, no _se mama. Seguras es un buen idea_?" **(Um, I don't know mama. Are you sure that's a good idea?)**

"Sofia Isabella Ramirez, you will bring that boy home pronto! Not another word! _Hasta pronto_!" **(See you soon!)**


	24. Girly Hair & Birth Defect Ears

**Chapter 24- From the Horse's Mouth: Girly Hair & Birth Defect Ears**

I climbed in behind the wheel of Faith's ruby red corvette and slammed the door shut. The quick portal trip from Lothlorien to Cleveland combined with the upcoming introduction of my new pointy-haired friend to my family had me out of sorts, to say the least. Glancing at Haldir I couldn't fathom his calm expression. Of course, he had wanted to visit my family so it makes sense that he wasn't dreading it like I was.

Why was I dreading it? I tried to entangle the knot that had formed in my stomach and analyze its causes. Just the idea of my Slayer life interacting with my familia bothered the hell out of me. In the past those lives have always been separated, besides the irregular interaction between members of my family and Willow, Faith, or Vi. They were just so *normal*. It seemed wrong to introduce the supernatural into their mundane lives.

"Why are you worried, Sofia?"

"I'm not worried," I defended myself.

His blue eyes were piercing as he took in all the details of my behavior. "You are pursing your lips and look to be deep in thought. And I notice your hands are gripping that wheel device quite tightly."

Looking down, I saw he was right. My knuckles were whitening, not to mention I was going fifteen over the speed limit. Dammit. "I'm just feeling a little bit crazed. These past hours have been way too stressful and, never thought I'd say this, I am wishing for the peacefulness of Lothlórien mallorn trees right now." Involuntarily, I smiled wistfully as I tried to recapture the smell of forest.

Haldir's face brightened like a kid who was just told he could stay up past his bedtime. "I am pleased to hear you say that, Sofia. It is good to hear you enjoy living in my world. Just a week ago you seemed to loathe your stay there."

I grimaced. "Okay, maybe I don't hate it anymore but Lothlórien is no Disney World. No malls, no television, no way to wear high heels walking on the forest floor. Not to mention, my nails are looking awful without nail polish. Oh, and the lack of bathrooms and toilets is really, really disturbing. And do you realize it's been forever since my Facebook-addicted self has been able to check online?"

Laughter erupted from Haldir. "Oh, Vancarmiel!" He ran his fingers through my curly locks and I paused at the reaction his touch had on my body. "I have no idea what these things are that you are missing, but-" I glared at him, having a pretty good idea what he was going to say since I had heard it before when training with the Galadhrim. He returned my glare with a charming smile. "But you are so adorable when you are upset and ranting."

"Did I look adorable when I was totally kicking your ass in hand-to-hand the other day?" I smiled arrogantly.

He rolled his eyes at me. I swear, I do not think elves rolled eyes. But I think I've been a bad influence on him. Ha. "Vancarmiel, I was in complete control. You forget, I have been fighting for over a thousand years. You could not really take me."

"Why you smug, little bastard. Is that so?" I had just pulled into my parent's driveway and killed the lights and engine. No use drawing attention to myself if they hadn't heard us pull up.

Quite pleased with himself he answered with a smile. "Of course."

I unbuckled my seatbelt and turned to face him. I leaned in slowly and whispered fiercely. "Alright Haldir. We are going to have a rematch and I am going to make you beg me to stop."

A secretive smile slowly formed on his stoic face. "A rematch, I will accept. But I assure you, I will not be the one begging." His eyes glinted with humor.

I heard movement inside. "We'll see," I said lightly. "Now remember what I told you. You are from the country of Norway and you grew up in a really, really, really small town and are not used to modern conveniences. Don't act to awkward or get freaked out by all the electronic devices. And do *not*, under *any* circumstances, let my mother corner you. You may think you're tough but she will interrogate you and you'll spill your darkest secrets. Trust me, my mama should've gone into the CIA."

"Yes, yes, Sofia. I think I can manage," he said dryly.

We got out of the car and walked up to the front steps. Before I even had a chance to knock my mama flung the door open. "_Mija! Ay, como estas, mi angelito?"_ She pulled me into a crushing embrace.

Once I was free, I answered. "I'm good, mama. This is my friend Haldir I mentioned. Haldir, this is my mother, Mrs. Maria Ramirez."

Haldir bowed elegantly and took her hand to place a chaste kiss on it. "Mrs. Ramirez, it is a pleasure to meet you."

It was almost worth having Haldir there to see my mother's reaction. Her cheeks flushed and she tittered like a junior high girl at a Jonas Brothers concert. "_Ay, Dios_! This must be a European thing, no wonder you left Ohio, Sofia." Haldir stood up and gave her his most charming smile and I could practically hear her heart racing. "Haldir, please call me Maria! After all, I am not so old to be called a Mrs."

"Maria, by looking at you I cannot even believe you are Sofia's mother. You bear more resemblance as an older sister."

I rolled my eyes as my mother giggled away. Ever notice when you are annoyed with your parents they are suddenly 'mother' and 'father'? That's how it was with me. Of course, Haldir's statement wasn't far off. My parents married young and my mother was only forty-two. Even so, she looked at least ten years younger. She was my height but more voluptuous. As an awkward teenager I would have killed to look like her. Even a few years later she still looked the same. Her mouth was full, her light brown eyes shadowed underneath naturally curled and lengthy eyelashes. The first thing strangers noticed about her (unless they were men, they likely noticed her curves more) was her smile. Every time she smiled it was like a whole room warmed to her and she had a habit of making people feel at home.

"Maria! Are they here yet?" My dad's voice boomed from the living room where he was probably watching some Saturday Night Live. It was his Saturday night habit and a reason why my family always attended 11:30am mass on Sundays. Since it combined his passion of politics with humor, it was one of his favorite things.

"_Si! Ven aca!"_

While my dad lumbered over to us in his shorts and a Cleveland Browns t-shirt my mother locked the door behind us. Always 'Daddy's Little Girl', his eyes lit up at seeing me. "How's my _Reina_ Sofia, mi _luchadorcita_?" He pulled me into a bear hug. I loved my dad's hugs. He was six foot three and no matter how old I was he always made me feel like his little girl. It made me smile that he still used my childhood names for me. I had told Arwen and everyone about 'Reina Sofia' but neglected '_luchadorcita'_. Growing up with lots of male relatives I always had to prove myself and, to the woe of my mother and pride of my father, often got in playful fights with my cousins or fights with some of the bullies on the block. What can I say? I've always been one to stick up for others.

"Good Papi, I'm good. This is from friend Haldir from Norway. Haldir, this is my father, Mr. Ignacio Ramirez."

"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ramirez." Their hands clasped in a strong handshake. My dad's dark eyes raked over Haldir and analyzed him. "Hmmph. Do all European men have long hair? Looks a bit girly to me."

Haldir's eyes widened slightly as both my mama and I exclaimed.

"Ignacio!"

"Papi!"

"Play nice, Ignacio! Haldir is visiting and we will make sure he has a good time." Her last warns came at my father like a warning.

He grumbled. I always admired that about my mother. How she could take on a man more than a foot taller than her and make him squirm. "I'm sorry Haldir." I could hear how painful it was for him to apologize; which is something he never does. "Welcome to America."

Haldir nodded his head in acknowledgement. "Thank you, Mr. Ramirez."

Both my brothers peeked around the corner from the living room. Both Ramon and David looked pretty similar. Both were about six foot and dark-complected, like my father. My mother was light-skinned and between the two of them I was in the middle; more of a caramel complexion. David wore black rimmed glasses, was skinny as a twig, and was on summer break from Cleveland State University. Ramon was the athletic one in the family and he did every varsity sport available; quite an accomplishment for someone entering into his junior year of high school. Hanging out at the school gym meant he looked the opposite of David and was tightly muscled and toned.

"Boys! Come here and meet Sofia's friend from Norway, Haldir."

Both of my brothers shook his hand, but I saw Ramon's eyes catching on Haldir's ears. "Dude, what's up with your ears?" He sounded incredulous, like a scientist making a new discovery.

"Chico! What's wrong with you? Haldir was born like that; do not ask any more questions!" Stupid brother of mine.

"Whoa! So it's like a birth defect?"

David beat me to it and rebuked Ramon by tapping him on the back of the head. "Seriously bro."

"Okay, okay." Ramon looked abashed. Often, he spoke before the thought. Not to be stereotypical, but he was an athlete. Not all stereotypes are true, but sadly in this case.

I rolled my eyes again. At this rate, my eyes would fall out of their sockets by tomorrow night. "Ok mama, I think we're ready for bed. Oh, by the way, the airport lost our luggage so Haldir doesn't have any other clothes."

Mama took in the size of her sons. "Ramon, you will let Haldir use your clothes. Boys, take him up to his room and give him whatever he needs. Tomorrow we are leaving at 11:15 for church and breakfast will be served at 10:30. So be ready!"

I groaned inwardly. "Mama, I don't know… It's been a long flight and all. And I don't want to make Haldir uncomfortable by taking him to church; he's not Catholic."

Like a doe caught in headlights, my mama's brown eyes widened. She was one of the most faithful Catholics, or religious person of any background, that I knew. "Nonsense mija! You will go to church. _Nada palabra mas_."

"I have no problem attending church with your family, Maria. I would like to see what life is like here."

My mother beamed at Haldir and patted his cheek. "What a good boy! Excellent decision." Haldir almost looked like he was blushing, but it was hard to tell. I'll have to remember that and use cheek patting to make him shut up next time we get into it.

I rolled my eyes again as the boys led Haldir upstairs and I made my way to my own room. On a scale of 1 – 10, it wasn't too bad. Maybe just a 5 with the comments from Ramon and my dad. Then again, we've only been here twenty minutes. My familia, I'm sure, is just getting started.

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Much like a monkey soliciting coins into his hat, I will dance for reviews! Salsa, Irish folk dancing, Bhangra, you review & I'll do it ;)

_Mija! Ay, como estas, mi angelito- _My daughter! How are you, my little angel?

_Ven aca!- _Come here! (command to one person)

_Luchadorcita_- little fighter (feminine)

_Nada palabra mas-_ Not another word.


	25. Haldir, Any Good at Archery!

**Chapter 25- **_Haldir, Marchwarden of the Galadhrim, any Good at Archery?!_

_Author Notes:_

_Lo siento! Its been a while since I've updated. I know I did a brief one this past Friday but I promise this one is much longer. As always, I really hope if you take a look-see at my story you send a review my way with some feedback. I really appreciate hearing from my readers- you are all so helpful. _

_That is why I am dedicating this story to all my reviewers! From thank you to __Ria__ for being my first reviewer and giving me smart suggestions and thanks to __Peppermint__ who writes the sweetest things and gives wonderful feedback; I appreciate you both as readers!_

_At _.org_ thank you to __Ponder__ for pointing out a proof-reading error, __AllenPitt__ for your comments, __Trace__ for your kind words, __Tempi__ for the feedback, __purrfus__ for your nice comments, __Ailsam__ for reading, __Angwen__ for suggesting I do the English/Spanish translations, __mellusene__ for your observations, ponderings, and recommending me, __EternalAli__ for your generous comments, and __WinterRayne__ for having an awesome sense of humor like me ;) I appreciate you all!_

_~*~Thank you for continuing to inspire me to keep writing~*~_

_-------------------------------_

I woke up in the middle of the night craving Elladan's touch. The nightmares had returned. This time I was shackled up again in the torture chamber and forced to watch as they hacked at Arwen's fine, porcelain features with a cruel, curved blade. It was impossible for me to do anything and the overall helplessness of the dream was overwhelming. I tossed in bed and attempted to close my eyes, but I was not ready yet to succumb to sleep.

If only Elladan were here. I missed him. I had gone a whole day without him and I missed the scent, the touch, and the sound of him. It had been only a week since we had begun spending romantic-smoochy times together but I was already becoming attached to him. It worried me. The last time I got attached to someone he was body-snatched by a wannabe Merlin… I believe I had clear reason to be cautious.

And while I yearned for Elladan, I still wasn't sure if I was yearning for him or someone. Confused feelings swirled around my mind like mist, intangible, yet they prevented clear vision. I loved spending time with Elladan. We had an indescribable pull towards one another. What I could not decide was if I was falling so quickly for Elladan because of him or if I was just lonely. After all, it has been a year since my last relationship and during that time I lived like a nun.

Truth be told, when I spend my whole life being strong, fighting evil, and putting on the shiny-happy face for the fam it feels *good* to have someone to relax with; someone to hold me and tell me everything will be alright.

If only I had Elladan here to do just that.

Checking the clock I saw it was 5:00am; I had only slept four hours. I didn't have the dreams every night but tonight they had been so vivid I did not desire sleep at all… _Lo que sea_; whatever. May as well make some tea to calm me down.

I climbed out of bed and pulled down my red tank top that had rolled up in my slumber. I threw on a pair of high-cut gym shorts and walked down quietly to the kitchen through the living room.

"Vancarmiel, what troubles your sleep?"

I nearly jumped. Damn, sneaky elf. "Bad dreams," I grumbled. "What are you doing awake?"

He shrugged, sort of. Since he was lying on the couch it looked awkward. "Elves do not need much sleep. It is especially hard in a new place."

I frowned. "Why isn't Ramon sleeping there?"

Haldir sat up and his blanket slipped down to his waist, revealing pretty awe-inspiring pecs and abs. His fair skin seemed to glow where outside light shined through the slats in our blinds. I had a sudden urge to touch him; he just looked so tempting at the moment. There's just something about a fine chiseled man that does it for me.

"Ramon seemed… uncomfortable with me sleeping in his bed. I offered to sleep here."

I took a step towards him, so I could talk without potentially waking up anyone else. "What?" I hissed. I sighed loudly. "That kid can be such a brat."

Haldir chuckled. "Honestly, Sofia. It's not a problem. Your couch is quite comfortable."

"Well, I am going to make some tea. Want some?" He agreed and I boiled some tea. While growing up we lived in a pretty run down apartment but the house we bought when I was in my early teens, this house, was pretty spacious. All the bedrooms were upstairs so I did not have to worry about waking people.

I brought out some green tea for Haldir and I and set it on the table. He was sitting at the one end with his blanket still covering his legs and I sat on the other side. We sipped the tea in silence for a while and listened to the sounds of the city. Morning birds were already fulfilling their call to sound the alarm that dawn was approaching and we could hear the occasional whiz of a car on its way to work.

"Your family is quite interesting."

Wincing in embarrassment I apologized for my father and Ramon. "My dad's just kind of gruff and old-fashioned and Ramon is an air-head at times. They didn't mean it, I'm so sorry."

Laughing under his breath Haldir said, "Its fine, Sofia. I did not take great offense at their statements. They really do seem like wonderful people and I can tell they love you very much."

Swirling my tea bag around absent-mindedly, I smiled. "Yeah, I know. They drive me crazy, but I really do love them. It's so hard to never be able to see them. I feel bad that I can never visit, but what can I do?" I sighed.

"I cannot imagine being away from my family. When my parents passed several hundred years ago I swore to never leave my brothers' side. Since that day I have kept that promise and we always protect the borders together."

I felt bad all of a sudden. "But you are not with them now; that is my fault."

He shook his head and his unbraided hair flowed around his face. "No, it is not. And I meant more that we fight together. Obviously I do not spend *all* my time with them, especially with Orophin giving his attention to Ariellan." We both laughed at that.

My days were a bit off but I realized we had missed the wedding party that was supposed to be tonight. "Oh my gosh, the wedding!"

Haldir nodded again. "I know. I wished not to remind you"

"Oh Haldir! I am so sorry! This is awful." I looked at the floor, upset. Damn stupid portals!

Sliding across the couch, Haldir cupped my chin. "Do not fret, Vancarmiel. After all," he grinned, "Orophin cannot have his party without me." I laughed at that, knowing he was right. He released my chin gently and rested his arm on the back of the couch.

Staring into his eyes I realized this was the first time we had really spent alone since he escorted me to the banquet. It dawned on me that I missed him. Even though we saw each other everyday at meals and training, I missed connecting with him. So strange to have spent so much time with someone but still did not really know them. Of course, over a thousand years is a lot of time to cover but suddenly I felt like playing twenty questions.

"Haldir, I'm curious. You mentioned it in passing, but what happened to your parents?" I looked at him, afraid that maybe the question was out of bounds.

Immediately his face darkened and he leaned back into the couch where the shadows hid his expression. "Orc attack."

My heart broke hearing his voice. Even though the event obviously happened a long time ago his voice sounded pained and raw. "I'm sorry to hear that."

He turned his head to look at the wall. "Thank you. They were ambushed when delivering goods to Rivendell. It was a sorrowful day indeed." I saw his jaw tightened and his shoulders tense up.

"You still sound… very upset."

Quickly he leaned forward enough for the street lamp light to illuminate the anger in his eyes. "Would you not be upset if your parents were murdered by demons?"

I was taken aback. "Of course I would be upset! I guess…" It sounded stupid as soon as I realized it. "I guess I thought since it happened so long ago you would not sound so upset. Haldir, I'm sorry. I did not mean to upset or second-guess you."

His expression softened. "No, I am sorry. Vancarmiel, it did happen long ago. But elven memory is a sharp thing and it records our memories to the exact detail. Though it may have occurred years ago I can feel the anguish, if I think upon it, as if it was yesterday. Forgive my sharp tongue; I fear missing my brother's wedding is affecting me more than I thought."

There were really no words to comfort him. So I did the next best thing. I slid next to him on the couch and wrapped my arms around him in a tight embrace. Haldir had comforted me when I had needed him most; now he needed me. My hands clutched the smooth, bare skin of his back and my head rested on his upper chest. He embraced me, one hand on my back and the other in my hair, and we sat there for several minutes without speaking.

One thing I've noticed in my many years of hugging, which is a huge part of my culture, is there are many different types of hugs. There's the light-contact hug with acquaintances where only the upper half of your body leans forward for a quick, light embrace. For exuberant family members of friends there's the boa constrictor squeeze hug where you make sure to take a deep breath beforehand. With significant others there's the tight, curve-hugger that allows a person to find a way to make contact with as much skin as possible. And there's the relaxed hug, where you feel so comfortable in a person's arms you can imagine staying there forever. The hug between Haldir and I felt like that; completely natural.

I leaned back and on impulse smoothed wayward strands behind his ear. "We'll be back soon enough and you'll be able to party like a rock star at Orophin and Ariellan's wedding."

Haldir smiled in return and a part of me loved that I was able to make him smile. "A rock star? How does one party like a rock star?"

I laughed softly. "Well, rock stars are the big time musicians of my world. Partying like one would likely include leather pants, sunglasses, jagermeister, some drugs, and at least one destroyed hotel room."

His right eyebrow raised in confusion. "I think I will stick to the elven style of partying, thank you very much."

"What?" I scoffed. "The elven way of partying? Not gonna lie, Haldir. You guys are not the cool kids in school."

"What is wrong with our style of parting?"

"Well, it's not always super exciting. I mean, don't get me wrong. Feasting: yay. Live music: cool. But I guess I'm used to something a bit more intense." He raised his eyebrow at me again. "Intense like, my friends and I go out and do crazy dancing, some drinking, and on a good night we are up until the sun rises. Elves are just a bit more calmer."

"So, we are boring?" Haldir sat back against the couch and looked amused with me.

"Not boring, per se. Everyone just seems so refined and elegant, sometimes its good just to get crazy.'

"I would be interested in seeing what is the difference between our worlds," he said as he pursed his lips.

I bit my lip before I started to laugh out loud at the image of Haldir wearing leather pants and grinding to hip-hop in a darkened nightclub.

"What is so funny, Sofia?"

I threw up my hands in defeat. "Nothing, nothing! I swear." But my smile remained.

"Are you laughing at the idea of me seeing your type of partying?"

"Ah, maybe. Maybe just a little bit." I saw the eyebrow start to rise again. "Ok, ok. If we are still here long enough or you come back another time, I promise to take you out to a club."

"You think I will be back again?" Haldir looked thoughtful and he looked at me rather intently.

I paused. "Well, I guess I just assumed you would come visit. I mean, I doubt there's a mail carrier between here and Middle-Earth. But we could hook up the occasional portal." I shrugged.

"I have not given much thought to what will happen when we are done with this Mavlar business. I have not thought about how you will be leaving us."

I focused on the window facing the couch. "Yeah, I haven't thought about it much either. I'm not much of a planner, ya know?"

Haldir ran his fingers through my hair again. "I will miss you very much, Vancarmiel. We have only known each other for a short time but I want you to know I consider you a dear friend."

My heart warmed at that statement. "I feel the same way, Haldir." I leaned into him and wrapped my arms around his chest. He pulled me closer and just held me for a while until I left to go back to bed.

Sometimes, it just feels good to be held, ya know?

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As soon as I woke up I rang up Will and started to bug her about when we could go home. Apparently she used up the last of her special portal crystals (which had some fancy name that I had no chance of remembering) and had to wait until Monday for delivery. Which meant we'd be leaving tomorrow afternoon. Fan-fucking-tabulous.

Don't get me wrong, it's nice to spend quality time with the fam. But quality time with the fam and my 'Norwegian' friend while our friends back in Middle-Earth needed some pertinent information on Mavlar's intentions… Not good.

After a shower I prepped and ran down to breakfast right at 10:30. Mama had the place smelling good with French toast, eggs and chorizo, and fresh strawberries. My entire family and Haldir were already sitting down in their Sunday finest. Haldir looked nice in a borrowed sky blue dress shirt and his hair was tied back. That hairstyle unfortunately showed off his elven ears but I suppose we were going ahead with the 'birth defect' story. I hoped the good Christians at our church, St. Paul, would notice Haldir's pure soul and not his misshapen ears.

Hah. Church ladies neglecting a bit of gossip? It would take Jesus himself to prevent that habit. Actually… If Jesus came back to church today they would probably still gossip and say, 'Who is that dark-skinned man with the long hair and sandals? Looks like one of them damn, dirty hippies.'

I sat down next to Haldir and bowed my head while my father said Grace. As usual, my dad and brothers began devouring their food and I had to fight to get some French toast. We went through the usual routine of my mother yelling at my brothers to not eat so fast and lecturing my dad on being careful not to use too much maple syrup because of his high cholesterol levels. My dad of course returned my mother's lecture with an "It's not my fault, baby, that you make such delicious food. I just want to eat it all!"

My mama rolled her eyes (wonder where I got it from?) and turned her attentions to Haldir. "So, my dear, tell us about yourself."

I used the time it was taking for Haldir to chew his French toast to answer for him. "Oh, mama. We don't want to make Haldir tell his life story."

"Shush, _cariño_. Let your friend speak for himself."

"Maria, can I just say that this cuisine is most certainly delicious? I have never tasted anything like it before!" Haldir grinned widely and took another forkful of French toast.

"Dawg, serious? They don't have French toast over in Europe? But its from France!" Ramon looked at Haldir like he was an alien. We all groaned at my dear, darling brother's serious lack of knowledge.

"Ramon, I told you Haldir was from a small town. Don't be awkward." I shook my head at him again.

"So, Haldir, does that mean you don't have I-Pods or internet over there?" David, who was studying European politics, looked fascinated. I hoped he never took a class on Norway or else this would be more difficult than I desired.

Haldir looked thoughtful for a moment. "No, we do not. Actually, we live rather simply. We hunt our own food and build our own homes."

My tech-addicted brothers looked shocked. "No way! What do you do for fun?" David continued his questions.

"My brothers and I often…" Haldir looked lost at how to explain himself. "We engage in archery often. And things such as that."

"Archery?_ That's kinda lame." If it didn't involve sports, girls, or video games, Ramon automatically thought it was lame. Typical of most teenage boys._

_David seemed fascinated. "Are you any good?"_

_I nearly spat out my orange juice. Haldir, Marchwarden of the Galadhrim, any good at archery?!_

_Haldir glanced at me, amused. "I'm adept enough."_

_"So, Haldir, do you have any girlfriends at home? Any special ladies?"_

_Now it was Haldir's turn to nearly choke on his juice at my mother's question. "Ah, no. No girlfriend."_

_"Ay, Que pena! A handsome muchacho like you without a girl? Sofia, can you believe that?"_

_I knew I was under the microscope and fought to maintain a cool, calm, collected face. My mother's eyes raked over me and inspected my expression. She was clearly on matchmaker alert. _

_"No, mama, I cannot believe that. That is a shame indeed."_

_"You know what?" My mama's eyes were glowing with mischief. "Since you must leave tomorrow, this afternoon we will throw a party before you leave for your internship Sofia!" _

_Uh oh. My family's parties were not like most peoples. "A party?"_

_"Si! I'll call your tia Alicia. We'll have a pool party here! Oh it will be so much fun!"_

_"Dang mama, any excuse for a party!" David laughed._

_"Can I invite some friends?"_

_"Of course, Ramon."_

_My dad put down his fork and looked up, exasperated. "Maria, we cannot have a party. Today the Indians are playing and I was thinking about picking up tickets with my Carlos." My Papi looked imploringly at my mother. He enjoyed a good party but was more of a wallflower than my social butterfly mother._

_"Ignacio Ramon Ramirez, your daughter is leaving tomorrow and you do not want to send her off with the love of a family gathering? And poor Haldir, all the way from Europe, don't you want him to have a great impression of America? Honestly, Ignacio. You can see the Indians any time."_

"Fine, Maria. Whatever you want, mi amorcita."

"Okay everyone, clean your plates so we can go to worship!"

And just like every time, my mama got what she wanted.

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Church went better than expected. There were stares, but Haldir was bound to be stared at. Our church is primarily Latino so Haldir's lack of pigmentation made him stick out already. Overall, Haldir seemed to be interested in the service, especially why we would stand, then sit, then do it all over again. Ramon told him it was because they didn't want people falling asleep, which I laughingly agreed with.

Now I was in my bedroom freshening up for the pool party after helping mama get everything ready. The backyard now featured an array of chairs, a smoking grill, a volleyball net, and lounge chairs around the pool. My mama even made me a sign telling me to have a good trip, 'Buen Viaje Sofia!'. Haldir had his own sign as well welcoming him, 'Bienvenidos Haldir!'.

Of course, I explained to my mama that Haldir is just learning English so a sign in Spanish is not very helpful. She disagreed and said it was a perfect opportunity to get him started on another language. My mama came to the States as a child from Puerto Rico and is adamant that our family embrace our culture and share it with others. Growing up, I found it kind of annoying at times; having to recite Puerto Rican history at the dinner table, for example. Now, at the wise old age of twenty-two I appreciate it a lot more. So I didn't argue with her signs after her comment.

After looking at my reflection, I decided to keep my hair down. Usually I pull it back at pool parties but I had begun to like leaving it down more often. For my ensemble I wore a pink bikini top and a pair of gym shots over the bottom. Pool parties can be tricky to dress for since there is both swimming and sports. But since it was only going to be my family, possibly some neighbors, and some of my brothers friends I wasn't stressing about my looks too much. Nonetheless, I did apply some water-proof mascara. I figure, with my wannabe photographer of an aunt, my tia Angelica, I would have to be in a million pictures anyways.

It made me laugh to look outside. Poor Haldir was being taught by Ramon and David how to play volleyball. He kept nodding a lot, so I'm not sure if he got it. Looking through the rest of the yard I saw that some more people were already here. Which is surprising since mama said the party started at 2:30 and it was only 3:00pm. Usually no one arrives until an hour after the start thanks to good 'ol CP time. Then again, who can turn down swimming, playing in the sun, and food on a Sunday?

Deciding to rescue Haldir and help my mama play the good hostess I gave my curls one more flip and went outside. The sun felt glorious as the heat softly caressed my bare skin. The temperature was typical this time of year, at about eighty degrees, and it was certainly a good day for swimming. Going over to the volleyball net I saw my three boys were now joined by my younger cousin Hector who is eighteen and David's college friend Micah. Inwardly I grimaced at seeing Micah. Only two years younger than me, he has been trying to get with me since David brought him home for Thanksgiving his freshmen year. Not that he's bad looking- Micah is tall, built like a basketball player, has gelled brown hair, and is usually smiling. But he's never really done it for me and since he's over all the time he is like family; and incest is not the best.

"Oye Sofia!" Ramon shouted. "Come join our game!"

Haldir turned when my name was called and I saw his eyes widen at the sight of me. I hadn't thought of my outfit before but now I realize with the way the elves dress my bikini and shorts would be underwear to them. It made me feel a bit self-conscious to feel so naked in front of him all of a sudden. His mouth twitched like he wanted to smile but it disappeared so quickly I could have imagined it. I hope he understood our cultural standards for dress. Haldir was wearing a t-shirt and board shorts and all the other guys just wore shorts.

"Okay, okay. What are the teams?"

He looked at us and pointed to each person as he called his name. "Alright, on this side is David, Micah, and Hector. This side is me, Sofia, and Haldir."

David groaned. "No way! You and Sofia are the only athletes in the family, you shouldn't be on the same side!"

"Nah, man. It's cool. We got Haldir and he doesn't even get the rules. So its about the same; no offense dude," he said to Haldir.

"None taken," Haldir said dryly.

"Ok lets play!" the always energetic Hector exclaimed.

I started the serve with the boys covering the front. It went right where I wanted it, to the weakest player, David. We had a pretty good volley going until Haldir smacked the ball to the right of the net.

"Woo! Our ball!" Micah strutted over to the ball and seemed to make it into a victory lap.

I walked over to Haldir and placed my hand on his arm. "Do you get the rules, Haldir?" I whispered.

He looked impatient with me, or maybe himself. "Yes, Sofia. More or less. I need to hit the ball over the net and not to far away."

"Ooookay, just checking!"

The game resumed as we all traded obnoxious insults; I think all of us were really competitive people. Micah, as usual, began hitting on me. I'm never quite sure why David allows him to do that without getting upset, but Micah gets away with it from my brothers. It is almost a family joke at this point, although my mother did lecture me on 'leading him on'. If you call telling him you'll go on a date with him when cats take over the world 'leading him on'. Then again, my world is so strange I should be careful what I say.

"So, Sofia, my love. May I say you look as glorious as ever?"

"Yeah, yeah." I bumped the ball in his direction.

"Sofi, Sof. When are you going to end this denial of our immaculate love for one another? Wouldn't it be better to just give in to what you feel?"

Smiling at Micah sweetly I replied. "Give in to what I feel? Do you by any chance have a barf bag available?" My comment got positive feedback from Hector, Ramon, and David with some "Dawg!" "Bro she got you." "Oooooh!"

"Reina Sofia, you have cut me to the quick. For such painful abuse I believe only an apology over dinner could be made."

"Sure," I said sincerely. His eyes brightened and the guys all looked at me. I gave a wicked smile. "Just let me know when you eat dinner and I'll give you a call to apologize; over dinner." I laughed, quite pleased with myself. Perhaps it's awful, but I do enjoy torturing Micah. Mostly because his comments are utterly lame.

He raised his arm across his brow dramatically after setting up a spike. "Beautiful Sofia, you know sometimes you make it hard for me to continue chasing you."

I laughed. "Good!"

Micah winked at me. "But everyone needs a hobby!"

Micah bumped the ball over the Haldir and my elven friend spiked the ball to the other side- hard. It smacked Micah right in the face and blood started to drip from his nose.

"Shit dude! What the fuck!?" Micah cupped his hand around his nose.

A resounding "Are you okay?" came from the rest of us. Haldir looked stunned by what had happened. "I'm so sorry," he apologized. "I did not mean to make you bleed. Are you okay?"

Micah shot him a dirty look. "Yeah, dude. Whatever, I'll be fine." He stalked back to the house to clean up his face.

I raised an eyebrow at Haldir and whispered under my breath, "Super elven strength Hal. You gotta rein it in when playing with the normal, breakable human types."

Haldir frowned. "I'm sorry about that. I wasn't paying attention."

I didn't want to lay a guilt trip and make him feel worse so I just concluded the conversation with saying it was ok and Micah will be fine.

Luckily the rest of the evening went okay. Haldir got his wish and met almost every single family member of mine. Actually, I think he was a little overwhelmed. My familia is vivacious and loud and not at all like the elves I've met. Not that my elves are boring but my familia takes it up a notch for sure. Haldir certainly got a lot of dance lessons as well since all my female cousins (and aunts!) stole dances throughout the party. It kind of irritated me when my rather *ahem* slutty cousin Margie took him onto the dance floor for some too-sexy bachata dancing… Maybe I'm a bit possessive with my friends but I did not appreciate her doing that. She is just always over guys and it gets annoying.

By the time the party ended it was 9:00pm and we began cleaning up. By *we* I somehow only mean Haldir and I. Papi left an hour ago to watch some pay-per-view fight, David took off to meet some girl he's talking to, Ramon ran off with some petite blond that showed up, and my mama passed out as soon as the party was done. Interesting how I often get stuck being responsible and cleaning up.

Luckily being super strong and fast, it didn't take us too long to clean up. It also helped that we made a game out of it, whoever got their half done first won. Not to brag or anything… But I definitely won.

I kicked my feet around in the water as I sat on the edge of the pool. Just clad in my bikini I was pondering one more swim before I went in for the night. Haldir came and sat down next to me and looked at me expectantly.

"What?" I asked.

Grinning, he replied, "Well Reina Sofia, I am just waiting for you to declare yourself the winner of the little contest *you* created."

"Why I do declare Master Elf, are you saying that I rigged this contest?"

He nodded. "Considering your area to clean was far smaller than my area, I would say yes."

Playfully, I kicked some water at him. He had taken off his shirt earlier to swim so I wasn't worried about getting his clothes wet. "No, no. I don't think it was smaller… And if it was just a tiny, itsy bit smaller its only because your arms are far longer than mine meaning you can automatically pick things up quicker than I."

He laughed at me and rolled his eyes at me. "Ri-ight. What about the fact that you are far shorter than me and can easily pick stuff up than I can? Surely, it would take you less time."

I scrunched up my face in mock frustration. "Honestly, Haldir, those are minor details. The one major thing to know is I am the ultimate winner of this contest. Just accept it and bow down before me." I gave him a big smile and motioned with my hands for him to continue, and bow down before me.

As surely as the sun will set at night, his eyebrow slowly rose. "You're right. I should do something," he said dryly. And then he pushed me into the water.

I went in with a shriek that turned into garbles as I hit the water. "Haldir!" I sputtered. "How dare you?"

Laughing heartily at me he gave me his hand to help me out. Obviously, Elf-Boy has never seen that move on TV. Luckily, I have. I grabbed his hand and pulled him into the pool with me. As he sputtered himself I just giggled. He started to come after me and I darted into the water. I tried to get away, but our pool isn't that big. When I reached the edge I dove to the pool floor and tried to slip by under him. But elves must be quick in the water because he grabbed me around the waist and hoisted me out of the water and against the edge of the pool.

In between breaths I laughed and he joined me. "Oh, you think you are quite tricky, do you?" I just smiled and laughed some more. "Listen here, Vancarmiel. You may not realize this with all your laughing, but you are in my clutches now. And I believe its payback time."

I glared at his threat, but he was right. His arms pinned my back to the pool wall and his chest was pressed against mine so I couldn't escape. Last time he threatened me there was tickling. I am not okay with impulsive giggling like a school girl.

"Payback? By letting me go, right? Not by doing anything foolish, right?" Giving him innocent puppy-dog eyes and a wide smile, I attempted to maneuver out of the situation using my words instead of force. Giles would be proud.

Haldir just gave me an evil grin and used one arm to start tickling me. I started giggling like a school girl and kicking impulsively at each touch. After a minute I gasped "I'm out of breath! Stop! Can't breathe!"

He gave me a disbelieving look but did stop. However, he didn't let me go. Haldir started to say something else when we heard a woman scream. He released me and both of us stilled as we strained to hear where the scream was coming from. I jumped out of the pool and Haldir followed.

"Sounds like its coming from down the block," I said as I pulled on my shorts.

"Is it one of your demons, your vampires?"

"I don't know." I scanned my yard for wood and then karate chopped the bench of the picnic table. My parents may be pissed later but right now I needed a weapon. I dislodged a splinter piece from the bench and held up my new stake.

"But I'm gonna find out."

----------------------------------------------------

**Who will they find down the block?? Vampire? Demon? The ShamWOW guy? **

**:D Till next time…**

(PS: Updates may not be as often as they were, I am currently working 7/days week for about 70 hours…. But I am committed to continuing Sofia's journey!)

_Lo Que Sea_- Whatever

___cariño- __term of affection_

___Que pena__!- What a shame!_

_mi amorcita-_ my love


	26. You’ll Be Saying WOW Every Time!

**Chapter 26: You'll Be Saying WOW Every Time!**

Can't have a story about a vampire slayer without some vamp ass-kicking :)

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The slapping of my flip flops against pavement echoed in the otherwise silent streets, unlike Haldir. His feet seemed to barely touch the ground as we ran in the direction of a scream we heard. Hmm. Wish I had elven grace, must be nice to have such sneaky skills.

Glancing at myself and then him I realized we were not looking very stealthy with my hot pink bikini top and short black shorts and Haldir's fair skin that seemed to glow in the lamplights.

Along the way I briefly explained vampires. "Ok, first off they are already technically dead. The only way to kill them for sure is to stab their heart with a wooden, pointy object," I raised my stake, "Or separate their head from their body. But I'm lacking on swords at the house so we'll have be make due with what's left of my parent's picnic table." Haldir and I laughed at the image of the splintered bench.

"Also, for future reference, holy water, like the water the priest had at church this morning, burns them and so do crosses. Don't have either of those, but we do have an elf and a slayer so I bet we cool."

I skidded to a stop when I saw the entrance to a small alley that connected our neighborhood to a back road. Motioning for Haldir to be quiet, I crept to the alley and clutched my stake. Splinters had embedded themselves into my skin while I was running over here and my hand ached faintly. I always found it interesting that our slaying trainers neglected to mention how many damn times we get splinters on the job. When a job involves impaling vampires with pointy wooden objects a person is at high risk for splinters.

I heard a whimper from the alley and casually walked into the darkened area with my stake hidden behind my back. Two men looked up sharply at the sound of my steps. One was slim, had spiked blond hair, and a goofy grin. His buddy was the opposite; tall, dark-skinned, and super serious. I'd put my money on him being the straight man of the comedy show. They towered over a teenage girl whose dark blond locks hid her neck, but a trail of blood running over her clavicle told me she'd been bit already. Faintly I motioned with a flick of my right wrist for Haldir to stay hidden. If the two vamps saw an imposing elf they may decide to use the girl as a hostage. One nice thing about being short and petite: people are always underestimating you, especially men.

Mr. Serious glared at me. "Lost, little girl?" His sexist pig eyes focused on my chest as he spoke.

Goofy just whistled. "Ooh, today is a buy one get free special! Call now and get a 'lil somethin-somethin' extra with your purchase." Licking his lips oh-so subtly he winked at me.

My first instinct was to be disgusted. Not only were they demonic bastards but they were sexist pigs as well. But something about Goofy seemed familiar; something about his voice. It dawned on me within a moment as I remembered coming home from slaying late at night and watching infomercials.

"Holy shitaki!" I exclaimed. "Are you the Sham-Wow guy?!" My eyes couldn't believe what I was seeing. It's not everyday you see a Class E celebrity.

Sham-Wow dude jutted out his chin and preened like a peacock. "Hell yes, baby. You like what you see?" Strutting over to me, he looked me up and down and paused on my chest. "Mmm-mmm girl! I would like to motor boat those babies!"

On the outside I gave him a false, inviting smile when I really would have loved to run him over with a motor boat, preferably with his head right next to the propeller. Once he had strutted his way to me I bitch-slapped him hard enough to push him towards Haldir and then I dove forward at Mr. Serious. By the expression on his face, I could tell Mr. Serious wasn't expecting a roundhouse kick across his face. His face vamped-out and he staggered backwards so I used that moment to check on the girl. Placing two fingers against her neck her steady pulse told me she was ok. "Get out of her Hun. These guys are fucked-up on some drugs."

She nodded slowly, still in shock. "O-Okay," she stuttered.

"Okay then, run!" She stood up and stumbled past where Haldir and Sham-Wow were fighting. "And remember, this is your mind on drugs!" I called after her. I figured if I had to lie to people about the things that go bump in the night the least I can do is turn it into an after-school special.

Those precious seconds I spent on the girl gave Mr. Serious an opportunity to grab me in a tight squeeze. I gasped, pressed my feet against the brick wall, and pushed back violently. The vamp landed on his back and released me enough so I could forcibly roll out of his grasp. Kicking up with my feet, I landed into a battle stance. Mr. Serious came after me again with a right-hook that I blocked easily enough and I thrust my palm into his nose. Blood spurted out and he made a sloppy punch towards me. Grabbing his forearm with both hands I snapped it and he lent out a piercing scream.

Eyes sweeping the floor for my stake, I kicked him in the chest. Finding my stake next to a dumpster I scooped it up and plunged it into Mr. Serious' heart. His eyes widened in that moment when he realized death was imminent and next he burst into dust. I caught my stake before it fell to the ground and checked on Haldir.

Not that I was surprised after sparring with him in Lothlórien, but he was totally kicking Sham-Wow's ass. What was surprising was that the Sham-Wow dude wasn't half-bad. Looked like he had some martial arts training; who would have guessed?

I didn't want to waste all night with this fight but I was curious about something. Right before Haldir released a punch I grabbed the back of Sham-Wow's shirt and threw him against the wall.

"Hey! He was mine." Haldir looked perturbed that I had taken his opponent.

"Geez, Hal. Didn't you learn to share in kindergarten?" Off his blank look I added, "At school?" I laughed and focused my attention on Sham-Wow.

He glared up at me but didn't move. Now in vamp face it was hard to tell who he was, but still possible. "Okay Sham-Wow, I got a few questions before I kill you."

"You bitch," he spat out. "Why the hell should I answer questions if you're going to kill me."

I pretended to ponder for a moment and stroked my chin. "Well," I began lightly. "I could kill you with a simple stake through the heart or I could carve it out with a spoon which could take a very, very long time."

An audible gulp came from his throat so I took that as permission to proceed. "First, are there any more of you around here?"

"No." I examined his face and saw truth there.

"Okay, now for the important one. Who the hell turned a lame-ass infomercial guy who was arrested on assault charges for beating a prostitute into a vampire?"

Sham-Wow shrugged. "It was this chick who I thought was a prostitute in Miami. She was a big fan and turned me so we could be together 'forever'," he ended sarcastically.

I bust up laughing. "Oh my God, that is so lame."

"As lame as you trying to fight me!" With that Sham-Wow kicked out at me but missed since I backed away.

"Okay dude, first rule of evil battling. You always loose the upper-hand when you make the snide comments *before* you strike." I shook my head. "You were a fun salesman, but you don't make a very good vampire."

He stood suddenly and was breathing heavily. "How about they'll need at least ten Sham-Wow towels to soak up the blood of your beaten body when I'm done with you?"

Haldir looked furious at his comment but I just cracked up, which only further infuriated Sham-Wow. "Not bad, not bad. But I got one better."

Peering at me suspiciously, curiosity won out and he asked, "What's that?"

I twirled my stake. "Imagine if they made an infomercial for this stake. I can just imagine it now: Using the Mr. Pointy 3000 you'll be saying WOW every time!"

After my witty saying, I shoved my stake into Sham-Wow's chest. Eyes widening he looked down at his chest and said "Wow." Dust exploded onto me and I wiped it off as best as I could.

"So," I began brightly. "Those were vampires. What did ya think?"

"Interesting creatures. They look human but move quickly and are stronger than I expected."

We began walking back to my house. "Well they were human once. But once they got bit and then got their blood sucked and then sucked the vampire's blood- it's this whole big sucking thing- poof! A demon sets up shop in their body and their soul is gone. It may walk, talk, and have the memories of that person, but it is not that person. Which can be hard to remember sometimes, even for me."

"How so, Sofia?"

I shrugged, reluctant to go into yet another disturbing tale I seem to have collected in the last five years. "I told you there were hundreds of vampire slayers, right?" He nodded. "One of them during my first year, her name was Anna, got caught by some vamps on patrol. They turned her and she showed up the next day when we were training and pretended to be normal. All of us had only been slayers for a couple months so we didn't know better. She convinced us to take a break from work and took us to a 'party'." I laughed dryly. "Sure was a hell of a party- a nest of ten vamps versus five girls."

"What happened?"

"It was an… experience. A couple girls got badly injured, but the five of us made it our alive."

"And your friend, Anna?"

"I'll admit, I had a hard time fighting her. She kept pretending to be Anna and it really messed with my head. I just couldn't believe that this person who looked like my friend was really gone. In the end another slayer dusted her."

Haldir wrapped his arms around my shoulders and kept it there while we walked. "Battle is indeed a harsh experience. The loss of friends never looses its bitter taste; no matter how long were fight."

"True that."

"By the way, Sofia, why didn't you let me finish that, what did you call him? Sham-Wow guy?"

I winced. "Sorry bout that. When slaying I get caught up in the moment. And after that guy's disgusting comments I really, *really* wanted to finish him. My bad, Hal. I didn't mean to take your dude it just sort of happened."

"His comments towards you were quite improper. It is why I wanted to destroy that fiend.

I giggled and wrapped my arm around his back. "Why, my dear Marchwarden, were you attempting to defend my honor? That is so cute!"

Haldir grunted and gave me a dirty look. "My actions were certainly not cute! They were-"

"Very manly, I'm sure." I patted his arm.

"Very ellon-ly, more so."

"Is that a word?" I asked just to play on his nerves.

"Sofia, you are an exasperating female."

"Yeah, yeah, bet you say that to all the girls, you sweet talker, you."

"I am confused, why did you laugh at that vampire when he made a serious threat at you?'

"Umm. Well, I just didn't take him seriously. Vampires are always trying to act big and bad, but they seldom are. Besides, its more interesting to make them made by laughing at them.

"Uh-huh. An interesting fighting technique. Perhaps I shall teach that to the marchwardens."

I looked at him in surprise. "Really?"

Haldir gave me one of those looks; that 'Honestly Sofia you are such a ditz' look. I answered my own question. "Nope, no, you're just joking," I grumbled. "Don't knock it till you've tried it though!"

"Of course, Sofia. Whatever you say." A smile played across his lips. I decided to ignore it for now, since I did steal his kill after all.

I flashed him a winning smile. We had just reached my back yard again. "By the way, how do I look? Do I have blood or dirt from fighting on me?"

Blue eyes traveled up and down my body as a sly grin appeared on his face. "You look… wet."

I turned my head to the side, confused. "Wet?"

Haldir laughed and scooped me up in his arms. Taking a few quick steps to the pool he dumped me into the deep end. "There now, I think that makes up for your cheating at the game earlier and stealing my opponent." He laughed while I sputtered angry noises. "See you inside, Vancarmiel!"

"Damn you, Haldir! I'll get you, and your little doggy too!"

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End Notes:

Haldir only has less than a day left in Cleveland... What do you think should be included in his adventures? :)

*Check out the Sham-Wow guy at You-Tube: .com/watch?v=QwRISkyV_B8


	27. Slaying Makes You Hungry and You Know

**Chapter 27: Slaying Makes a Girl Hungry and… You Know…**

After toweling off and changing into some charcoal gym shorts and a black spaghetti tank top, I decided to go downstairs to find Haldir. I paused at the top of the stairs when I heard my mother speaking over the sound of the television. It sounded like there was some screaming in Spanish coming from the TV. Oh God, please don't let her be doing what I think she's doing.

I crept down silently and peered around the staircase. Haldir and my mother were sitting side by side like old time friends on the couch watching my mother's favorite novella, _El Rico y La Pobre_. The title pretty much summed up the plot of the show where the rich boy and the poor girl *of course* will fall madly in love, and be separated by scheming family members, not to mention someone will likely die and get pregnant all in one episode. My mama loved novellas and was a religious watcher. Looked like poor Haldir was getting roped into it.

"_Mira_, look at that!" I was pleased my mama was trying to translate her own words when she fell into her Spanish for Haldir's sake. "That _chica_, Cristina, is the poor maid of the Santana family but she is secretly in love with their eldest son Oscar. _Ay_, _que romantico_! Look, even though Oscar's family is threatening to disinherit him from the family fortune he still proposes to Cristina!" My mama dramatically clutched her chest. "It is so exciting!"

"I don't understand. Is this common in this country? Why would Oscar's parents disinherit him only because Cristina is a servant? Can they not see how true their love is and accept that?" Haldir's eyes were glued to the images on the screen of the happy couple kissing passionately.

"Of course! It has happened many times in the history of the world. Certainly it does not happen as often, but those things still do."

My mama gasped at the next scene when a blond-haired woman stormed into the foyer and slapped Oscar while screaming to him in Spanish about "You bastard, how dare you propose to her when I am carrying your child!"

"Santa Maria! I did not expect that at all! That is Oscar's old girlfriend, Eva, who he comforted when her father died and they spent only one night together! I cannot believe she is pregnant!"

I stifled my brewing laughter. It was always hilarious that after watching _novelas_ for decades my mama still could get surprised. Even funnier was how intent Haldir was in watching it. I decided to stay hidden for the moment and watch them interact.

"No, really? But how, if Oscar has professed his love for Cristina how could he spend a night with Eva?"

"_Ay, chico. Sabes que_ how men are. He gave in to his instincts and succumbed to cheating on Cristina with Eva." My mama shook her head sadly. "_Es_ true, but still unfortunate that many men are like that; luckily not my husband though. He wouldn't because he loves me and also because he fears my wrath," she cackled.

"Well that is not the way of my people. If a male truly loves a female he stays committed to her. When he has found that inescapable spark that triggers falling in love he would not commit such a heinous act."

Haldir was still facing the television but I saw my mama turn to him with an arched eyebrow. "_En serio_; really Haldir?"

He nodded his head thoughtfully. "But of course."

My mother was silent for a moment, lost in thought. "It is good to hear you say that Haldir. I would want any _novio_ of my only daughter to be a good man."

Cringing when she said that, I stilled myself behind the staircase and waited for a response. I know, I know. Eavesdropping is wrong. And what does his response matter to me? But I couldn't help it; I wanted to know what he would say.

"What is a _novio_, Maria?"

"In Spanish it means boyfriend."

"Oh.*Oh*," Haldir sounded surprised. "Maria, I am not Sofia's boyfriend."

"Indeed." My mother's voice had a predatory edge that many snooping mothers can get when uncovering clues. "It is just you are the first man she's brought home since Erik. You both are obviously close. I've often spied you two whispering and laughing with each other this past last day. Not to mention, I can see the way you look at her. Haldir, I may have just met you but I see how your eyes linger on her and how you spark when you're with her. Perhaps you are not her boyfriend now, but you will be."

I sunk down slowly to the stair. My mind was being assaulted by emotions: embarrassment that she said that, disbelief that she's right because I had not noticed anything, stress that maybe she is right and I don't want things to change between Haldir and I, and maybe something else…Not quite flattery, but something indescribable. Or maybe not indescribable but something I did not want to examine enough to describe.

There was a moment of silence before Haldir responded. "Maria, I do not know what to say. Perhaps you have misread the signs, for Sofia is a dear friend of mine but she will never be a girlfriend."

"Ah, and why is that? Is my daughter not good enough for you? Does she not meet your standards?" My mother sounded slightly annoyed but she said it in such a light manner it was hard to tell.

"No! Not at all." He chuckled nervously. "Quite honestly Maria, your daughter exceeds my standards."

"Then what is the problem? _Chico_, you two seem like you would be happy together and I want, no I *need* to see my daughter happy. This past year since her horrible break-up with Erik she has changed so much. When she was younger she was so full of life, of hope. In this past year she has become cynical and almost a cold thing; sometimes I don't even know how to approach her- my own child is a stranger at times! She needs to be loved Haldir. She needs to experience happiness again," my mother pleaded. "And if you love her, you must embrace her before my little girl changes for the worst."

I couldn't help it. I know I shouldn't have let them know I was listening in but angry tears were already starting to form at my eyes. My own mother thought I was cold? _A cold thing_? I stepped out from the staircase and viewed my mother through blurry eyes. In that moment I saw her realization that I had heard her and her remorse was evident. But I didn't care.

"A cold thing, mother? You think I am cold, that I am cynical? If you only knew!" My voice broke on the last word. "You know nothing of this world, of what goes on, of what I do. Of what I have to do each night!"

My mother stood up and started to walk towards me with her arms open. "_Lo siento_, mija. Please, I did not mean it that way. I love you, I am only trying to find you happiness my darling!"

I stepped back from her and looked at her angrily in the eyes. "_Sabes nada_, mama! I do not need any help finding happiness! And I hate that you imply I need a man to do so!" I stalked towards the door and grabbed my purse. "I do not need anyone!" I ignored my mother's pleas and slammed the door shut. I jumped into Faith's car and revved the engine. I started backing up when Haldir climbed into the passenger side seat.

"Go away Haldir. I really don't want company right now," I said tersely while I blinked back more tears; some were tears of anger and others of exhaustion.

"But Vancarmiel, if I do not go with you then I am left with your mother watching novelas. Do you wish to punish me?"

I cracked a small smile in spite of myself and then went back to scowling. "Fine. But we're going to Headquarters so I can get some stakes and kill some things tonight."

"Whatever you desire, my friend."

I took a deep breath and backed out of my driveway. Before I left I looked back and my mother was standing in the window. Tears streamed down her face and she wore the saddest expression I had ever seen on her face, besides my grandmother's funeral. A knot formed in my stomach and I was tempted to drive back and go to her, but I didn't. Part revenge for making me feel this way, part fatigue from always having to be strong and accept people's apologies. Sometimes I just wanted to be angry, and tonight I was going to do that.

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Thankfully Haldir was silent during the drive. I used that time to push my mother's comments out of my head and do a half-hearted attempt to meditate. Which is never a good idea when driving because it caused me to lose focus and slam hard on the brakes a couple times. Haldir's eyes would widen but he bit his tongue from critiquing my driving.

I was silent until we reached the doorway of HQ. In my anger I slammed the door open a bit louder than desired. Almost a dozen heads shot up at the sound- Willow, Dawn, Faith, Robin, Vi, Caridad, Chao-Ahn, and three new girls.

"Whoa, knock much?" a sarcastic Faith said.

"Sorry guys, just got some pent up energy. I know it's just after 10, but I'm feeling a bit peckish and up to killing evil things. Who's game?"

"Sounds good to me! I'm tired of reading books. Going out slaying really makes my night, not to mention it makes you-"

"Hungry and horny," the three new girls giggled. The rest of us joined in laughing at them completing one of Faith's favorite statements. Obviously Faith had been spending a lot of time training the new girls.

"I understand hungry, but what does horny mean," asked my oft-confused elven friend.

The three new girls stared at Haldir. Perhaps because he didn't understand a common slang term or maybe because they had never seen an elf, but probably because they were all about fifteen and instantly smitten with any attractive older looking male.

My friends looked at me to explain. I threw up my arms. "Nuh-huh. I didn't use the word so I don't have to explain it."

Faith cleared her throat. "You heard her, rugrats. You used the word, so kindly explain to this elf from another dimension what the word 'horny' means. Who's gonna tell him; Ivanka, Veronica, or Trinity?"

I bit my lip to keep from laughing. Faith is notorious for being hard on the newbies. Don't get me wrong, she is an amazing individual to learn from and work with but she does get a happy out of giving the new girls a hard time.

All three of them started giggling. The one I presumed was Ivanka due to her Russian features of blond hair and ice blue eyes attempted to talk. "Um, well, it's just a word for, you know… it." She was engulfed in a case of the giggles again and ceased speaking.

Haldir looked so confused as to what the big deal was. "It? What is 'it'?"

Ivanka elbowed the raven-haired girl next to her and whispered "Say it Trinity."

Trinty took a breath. "Well its not it, exactly. Its when you *want* to do it." All three girls started laughing again as Haldir's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

I gave Faith a look of disdain. "Please don't tell me I was like that when I started."

She chortled. "Not quite Sof, not quite."

I gave a dramatic sigh of relief. "Thank God."

Haldir tried to recount their explanation. "So to be horny is when you want to do it. I am still confused what the *it* is."

Luckily brash Dawn came to the rescue. "It means sex. They just feel embarrassed saying it. But when you're horny it means you want to have sex."

An alarmed look came on his face. "Oh! So slaying makes you hungry and gives you the urge to discover pleasures of the flesh." He turned to me with a twitching smile. "Sofia, we slayed vampires just an hour ago. Does that mean that you are hungry and horny?"

I blushed furiously and I overheard Faith's salacious comment "Well, she *did* come in here looking awfully frustrated."

"I am fine, thank you for asking Haldir. What delightful elven manners you have to ask me if I feel the need to consume food or flesh." I rolled my eyes at him and everyone laughed. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up. You just better hope I take it out on some bloodsucking evil or else I'll come back for y'all.

Faith gave me a wicked smile. "You'll come back to make us all cookies? Cause I doubt you could do much more than that, "she taunted.

"Faith, you gonna patrol with me or are you gonna keep stalling because you don't want me to out-shine you tonight?' I gave her my own evil grin.

"Damn Ms. Hot-to-Trot. Let's go, chica. Haldir, coming with?"

"Of course. A warrior never turns an opportunity down for a fight."

Faith winked at me. "Excellent. Let's make it a double date, Robin you should come too."

Robin Wood, who had been silent until now, stood up. Robin was an imposing guy, tall, built, and knew how to wield a weapon. He was African-American, had a shaved head, and intelligent eyes that always seemed to know what was going on. His mother, Nikki, had been a slayer in the 1970s and he had been raised by her Watcher after her death. Since then he's been fighting vampires and has been involved with the Slayer unit since closing the Sunnydale Hellmouth. Not to mention, him and Faith had been dating on and off (obviously on right now) for five years.

"Sounds good to me," he spoke in his deep voice.

The four of us took weapons from the closet. I took a stake and a gleaming dagger with a jeweled handle. Haldir was disappointed to not see a bow and arrow but was excited to discover the cross-bow, which is something he had never seen before. Robin just took a stake while Faith grabbed a stake and a dagger similar to mine.

"Let's kick it, guys," said Faith.

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We decided to patrol a cemetery on the edge of town. It was an old one that had been recently expanded to accommodate an increase in residents. In a decently big city like Cleveland you're bound to have murders, not to mention the Hellmouth's minions of evil romping about. Along the way we chatted and explained various things to Haldir. He was fascinated by the electricity and how the sky was lit up from the city's lights and sought to understand how it worked. Too bad none of us majored in science.

Finally Faith turned the conversation back to me. "So, Sof. Where did your desire to kill things come from tonight?" She laughed and gestured towards herself. "I mean, I'm all about staking vamps but you seem to have some extra incentive tonight."

I glanced at Haldir and sighed. "It was just my mother. She was complaining to Haldir when she thought I was gone about how cold and cynical I've become in the last year. I mean- Hello! I'm sorry, but having to save the world for five years and experiencing a bad episode of Body Snatchers is bound to make someone cynical." I growled lightly in anger.

Haldir attempted to placate me. "Sofia, I do not think she meant it to be worded so poorly. She sincerely seemed to care about your emotional health."

I gave Haldir a 'look'. "Yeah, having to hear your own mother call you 'a cold thing' is a pretty good way for her to positively impact my mental health," I stated sarcastically. I looked to Faith and Robin to back me up. "Right?"

Faith shrugged. "Doesn't sound cool, Sof, but I've heard worse."

Robin interjected. "I agree with Haldir, I am sure your mother did not mean to hurt you."

I breathed slowly. "Thanks for the back-up, guys. Should've known the Motherless Club wouldn't support me on this." Faith's mother passed when she was younger and obviously Robin's did as well.

Faith's hand grabbed my shoulder. "Back up girlfriend. Don't take your attitude out on us just because you're pissed at your mom; when really you are pissed off that you have to play Batman and keep your identity a secret."

I glared at Faith's hand on my shoulder. "Let go of me, Faith," I said coldly. Adrenaline was pumping into my bloodstream hard-core. I was riding my anger like a wave and approaching the crest; I just wanted to lash out. Didn't matter if it was logical or not, I couldn't stop myself.

"Yo, chillax Sof. And let's be real for a second. You *have* changed this past year. Sure, you're still crazy, fun Sofia, *sometimes*. But other times you are so detached! You haven't really connected with any of us since Erik died. Sure, you talk to Willow and Vi but even they say you've got walls in place. What happened to you sucked. It *_sucked_*. But that's life. You gotta get over it, girlfriend. 'Cause you have been changing this past year and its not for the best."

I stared into Faith's brown doe eyes that were now lit with an inner fire as she lectured at me. My lips curled up into a sneer. "Right. So you all have been discussing me, have you? Bloody great. What a wonderful fucking night. Thanks for the pep talk Faith, but you can save it." A side voice told me there was truth to her words. Still, I didn't need to tell Faith she was right.

I started to walk away towards a mausoleum when Faith grabbed my arm again. On instinct, I swung my right fist towards her. It connected on her lip and a drop of blood slid out of a wound. I was taken aback by my own reaction and so was Faith.

"So it's like that? Okay, you want to fight, let's fight."

"No, no Faith. Nevermind."

"Sofia, Faith, perhaps we should not-" Robin shushed Haldir with a sweeping arm motion.

"Man, this is a slayer thing. Best to stand to the side when this happens," Robin whispered to Haldir.

Faith motioned towards me with curling fingers. "Come on, why are you afraid? Slayers don't get afraid. But look at you! Afraid to let down your walls and slacking in the friend and family department all because of a man!" She sneered. "That isn't the Sofia I know. Before the Erik/Damien incident you were a bouncy, vibrant, albeit a sarcastic thing, but fiery. But now you're a pale version of yourself and-"

I didn't let her finish. "Fuck. You." I threw another punch and she grabbed my arm, drawing me in close. I kicked straight up with my left leg and hit the side of her head. We went back and forth for a while but didn't get many hits in. Both of us were fast and kept blocking or moving before a hit could connect.

"What's the matter, Sof? These moves are weak. I thought you were angry." She barely ducked a roundhouse kick.

"Fuck you, Faith," I hissed. I moved to escape a left hook but her knuckle grazed my cheek.

"I think there's something more. Something you haven't told us. Something that made you-" She gasped when I kicked her in the chest. "Something that's made you so different. Question is, what is it?"

"Thought you were just a killer, Faith. Not a therapist."

She swept my feet out from under me and I landed on my back. "I am *not* a killer. Very tricky avoidance tactic though." I rolled over and flipped up to stand. "But I'm not going to get angry over your Miss Manners faux pas. You're right, I am not a therapist. But I do know something about anger. And you don't let it out, that anger will consume you someday."

We danced a little longer. She went to punch me and I pulled a kung-fu move, Snake, to swipe her punch to the side and I struck her in the chest. She stumbled back and gingerly rubbed her bruise.

"Oh, hey, its Kung-Fu Panda ladies and gents! If you're Snake, I guess I'm Tiger." Faith curled her hands into claws and struck me heavily and quickly. I tripped backwards over a small gravestone and fell to the ground. I rolled over before her boot crashed down.

"What's the matter Sofia, why so quiet?"

"Sorry, I'm a bit busy kicking your ass."

Faith snorted. "Yeah, looks like you're trying."

I threw myself at her and we tussled in the dirt. We went back and forth fighting each other to be on top. Finally, Faith somehow twisted my limbs like a pretzel and I was immobile.

"Get the fuck off me, Faith!" I was so frustrated and immediately started breathing heavier.

"I will when you tell me what's up. You never gave us more than the basic details we needed to go after Damian the Sorcerer. But I don't get it. I get Erik was your first love but why are you letting it affect you so much?"

"He wasn't just my first love!" I rasped. "He was my husband!"

Faith looked as shocked as I felt. Never once did I tell anyone that and I couldn't believe I just said it now in front of everyone.

"What?" Faith gasped.

A sob choked in my throat. I've told a couple people bits and pieces of the story but never the whole thing. Even when I told the talk to Ariellan and Arwen I left that part out purposely. For so long I had tried to suppress that detail. I tired to pretend if I could tuck it into a deep, dark place of my soul I could pretend it hadn't happened.

That I wasn't made a widow at the age of twenty-one.

At that thought, for the second time in two weeks, I just broke down crying. Never before did I allow myself to mourn Erik, to mourn my husband. Now it all came pouring down like a summer thunderstorm and I felt that I would drown under the flood of tears. Long ago I had frozen myself and hardened my heart so I would not be able to feel the pain and the truth. Being with the elves and Elladan had thawed my heart and now it felt like it would burst out of my chest in pain.

I felt Faith sit behind me and wrap her arms around my shaking form. "Hey, it's ok. It's ok. Just let it out." In one part of my head I thought how strange it seemed to hear Faith sound so comforting but her words had the desired effect.

The sobs were coming so quickly that I felt I couldn't breathe. I took huge gasps of air and my face felt like a wet mess with tears running in rivulets across my cheeks and down my chin. A part of me felt like a failure. "Sorry." I gasped.

"Sheesh, girl. What you got to be sorry for? After all, you didn't hurt me in our fight." I could feel Faith smile against my shoulder.

"Sorry-"I trembled. "Sorry to cry in front of you. I detest public crying, it's so weak." I admitted, "I'm so weak."

Faith clucked her tongue. "Weak? Please. You are one of the strongest people I know. However, in order to stay strong you got to talk to us. You can't go all Dark Avenger on us and block us out, or your fam."

"Not to mention," Robin added, "this is certainly not a public place so no worries about public crying, unless you're worried about what bleached bones will think about you." Out of the corner of my eye I saw Robin and Haldir were sitting to our right. Robin wore a compassionate expression while Haldir looked slightly shocked and saddened.

"Let it out, babe. Tell us what happened. When the heck did you pull off a Britney Spears-style wedding?"

I sniffled. "It was before we left for Thailand that summer to deal with their demon problem. You know his family hated me because what demon family wants a Slayer marrying one of their kind, even a half-human one like Erik. But he didn't care. He proposed the week before we left."

I took a deep breath. "We both wanted to get married before we left for the summer so, on an impulse, we got married. But we didn't just marry for the fun of it. I truly expected to spend the rest of my life, as short as it may be, with him." I sighed. "So, it was more than he was just my boyfriend. We decided not to tell anyone until he had the money to buy me a real ring and we could have a real wedding; we wanted to keep it to ourselves so it was more special that way. We were also hoping if we were already married his family couldn't reject us so easily. So he went home over the summer to prepare them for that transition and work over the summer in order to save up for a ring."

I paused, unsure if I should make the final confession. It had been tugging at my heart for so long and each time I thought of Erik the guilt ripped into my soul like talons swooping to tear its prey. "In some ways, if it hadn't been for me, if it hadn't been the need to buy a ring for *me* he never would have been there and Damian never would have taken him."

"I don't understand Sof, why didn't you tell us?"

"I couldn't Faith. I could not come to terms that my husband was gone; that I was a widow before I finished college. If I told anyone it would just make it more real. A few times I tried, but it just wouldn't come out. I just hid it within a dark part of myself and kept it there, ya know?"

She nodded grimly. "I know."

The four of us sat in silence until my tears subsided. I took a shaky breath and stood up. I felt so awkward at so much attention focused on me. "Sorry about that, guys, but I think I'm better now."

Faith gave me searching look. "Are you better now?"

I thought about it for a moment. While sitting there with my friends I realized they were right and that I had changed. I was never very good at letting people in but I had been shutting people out for the past year. The only time I had not was with my elven friends. I think I was coming to terms with my grief. Was it instantaneous? No. But do I think I am making progress. I loved Erik, I truly did. But he is gone. The logical thing and the smart thing to do for my heart was to move on. Not to forget Erik, but to put him to the backburner of my memories.

Could I do that? Could I heal? I hoped so.

"Sofia?" Haldir questioned.

I looked up and met their gazes. "I will be, which is the best I can say at the time." I grinned. "But that's not to say I wouldn't mind finding some sonofabitches to stake."

Faith laughed and wrapped her arm around me. "That's my girl!"

--------------------------------------------------------

**End Notes:**

*For more information on the most amazing TV shows in the world, novelas, check out: .org/wiki/Telenovela

*Reference to the movie Kung Fu Panda featuring the voice of Jack Black

*Pitbull: A-mazing Cuban rap artist with a string of hits lately. You-Tube him for sure!

**Translations:**

_El Rico y La Pobre-_The Rich Man and the Poor Woman

Mira- (Command) Look (as in: Look at that)

Que Romantico- How romantic

Sabes que how men are- You know how men are

Es- is, as in Es Verdad: It's true

Novio- boyfriend

Mija- My daughter

Lo Siento- I'm sorry

_Sabes nada- _You know nothing_._


	28. A Different Kind of Battle for Haldir

**Chapter 28: A Different Kind of Battle for Haldir, AKA Vanilla Face**

Since we didn't have much luck scouring the graveyard we decided to hit up a sleazy bar in the bad side of town where vamps abounded and so did drug dealers. The place had a stale smell and the stench of beer and smoke permeated everything. I *so* was going to need a shower after this. Skanky dressed girls paraded around the men and delivered drinks. Even though it was a Sunday night the place was hopping. I guess since it was midnight it was technically no longer the holy day so people probably felt it was ok to be out.

There wasn't a dress code, but I felt we stuck out a lot. Haldir and I were wearing workout clothes but luckily Faith and Robin were looking stylish as always; leather for her and dress clothes for him. But the club was a mixture of brown and black so Haldir's white skin and silver hair drew a lot of attention. Faith was also noticeable but since she was wearing leather and was a female she could be appreciated no matter which type of bar she went to.

Hip-Hop music was bouncing off the walls and a small throng of people were pulsating to the beat. I was tempted to join them since I really loved dancing, but first things first.

"Faith and Robin, why don't you guys get us drinks? Haldir and I will claim a table with a view to scope out the activity." They consented and Haldir and I walked over to the left of the dance floor.

"This music is quite loud and audacious, Sofia. How can you stand it?" Haldir was wincing. He had taken down his hair so his ears could be covered but the tips were still peeking out.

'What? This music is awesome! Silly Haldir."

"Oh, you like this music?"

I sighed dramatically. "Ye-eah! Remember when I said I liked to go out dancing with my friends? This is the kind of stuff we dance to. Of course," I gave a disdainful look to the sticky floor and clientele, "we usually got to places slightly classier."

Haldir gave me a perplexed look and scanned the bar. "Interesting."

Faith and Robin brought back drinks for us. Faith and I have been drinking buddies quite a few times before so she knew just what I needed: A Long Island Iced Tea. They got a Corona for Haldir and he gingerly took a sip.

"Ack!" Haldir's face was screwed up in disgust. "This tastes quite awful! Why would anyone drink such a thing?"

"It's a typical man drink," Robin offered.

"Luckily for me I am an ellon so I do not have to drink man drinks. Sofia, what do you have?" Haldir sniffed and then took a sip. He made a delighted noise. "Oh, this is quite good. Potent too, I can tell. What is it?"

I laughed. "A Long Island Iced Tea. You've got good taste Haldir."

We surveyed the crowd and looked for any potential non-human types. The place was getting more crowed by the moment so it was getting harder to tell.

"Sofia, what type of dancing are those people doing?" He gestured towards the dance floor where people were bumping, grinding, and overall engaging in near sexual acts.

Faith made a happy noise. Now *that* is what I call dancing. C'mon Robin, lets check out the crowd from that side of the room." She took his hand and led him to the dance floor. I shook my head. Of course Faith would combine work and play.

"That, my dear Haldir, is bumping and grinding."

"It appears as though they are attempting to fornicate in public, is this usual?"

I nearly spat out my drink. I didn't want to tell him that many times I had danced like that at clubs. Of course, it was often under the influence of alcohol and always with a fine, sexy man, so I thought it was ok. Well, alright. Sometimes my beer goggles exaggerated the sexy qualities of not-so-sexy men, but more or less my dance partners were attractive.

"Sometimes. With different music there are many different dance styles. This is club music so people do, sorta, get real close to each other. It all depends. With some hip-hop people battle and do crazy moves, like spinning on their head."

"How peculiar," Haldir mused. "Elves would certainly not do that. We believe the body is a beautiful thing and should not be treated as such in public."

I bristled at his tone and gave him a haughty look. "It's not that bad and can even be fun."

"Sofia, it appears I have upset you."

"Well, yeah. A little. I've danced like that, do you think lower of me?"

His blue eyes turned to mine and his gaze transitioned from serious to smoldering. "You could steal the moon from the sky and I couldn't think lower of you. Actually, perhaps I enjoy the mental imagery of you dancing like that." Haldir gave me a boyish wink.

Tearing myself away from his gaze I rolled my eyes at him. "Honestly, Hal. You are impetuous at times." He gave me a grin in return and took another sip of my drink.

"So, does that mean that elves are really conservative with how they act with the opposite sex?" I was curious now. If I was going to be dating an elf I wanted to know what was too much for him. Once I tried dating this super evangelical Christian who thought anything past a peck on the lips was sinful. Although Elladan and I had certainly done more than that, but nothing past making out and cuddling. I hadn't found the courage yet to ask him what was typical for elves.

Haldir twirled the straw in my drink, now his drink I guess, absentmindedly. "Have you not discussed, or discovered, that with Elladan by now?'

A faint blush crept up my cheeks. "Well, not in great detail I guess. Honestly, I'm not really sure how elves date."

Sighing, Haldir focused on the dance floor crowd. "For one, we do not use the term 'dating'." He gave me a bright grin. "We term it courting."

"How old-fashioned of you," I said dryly.

He snorted. "Yes, after watching your novela I can see how differently our courting habits differ from yours."

"Wait, wait, wait. Please do *not* consider that TV show typical of my world. But, how do they differ?"

"As you know, elves are immortal so we have can go hundreds, even thousands of years before finding the right fëafor us. Of course, most elves marry within their first one hundred years, but not all."

"Fëa?"

He explained. "Fëa is the spirit of a being in Middle-Earth. It is the the essence of a person that, upon death, is separated from the body."

"Oh, so fëa is what we call souls. So elves can go that long before they find their soul mate?"

"It is uncommon, but yes. Elves do court each other when they feel the pull of attraction and eventually they will realize their destiny with the other person, as with my brother and Ariellan, or they will understand they are not right for each other."

"Okay…" I trailed off. "Well, how do they know? I mean, how do you decide that you've found the person you want to spend all eternity with?"

Haldir gave a low chuckle. "Vancarmiel, if I knew that then I would be a husband by now."

I examined his handsome features. His straight hair hung like silk across his shoulders, his blue eyes called me to him like the ocean water on a hot day, and his mouth was curled into a smile like always. "How is it you are not taken, Haldir? You're an attractive marchwarden and have a sense of humor."

If I didn't know better, I would have said he blushed. Or the alcohol was bringing a flush to his cheeks. "Thank you for your words, Vancarmiel. But I just have not found the one for me yet."

"Have you dat- I mean courted any elven maidens before?"

Leaning forward across the table he gave me a small smile. "While I have courted several maidens over the centuries I have not been able to find the one for me. As of late, I do not think I will find love with an _ellith _at all."

I gasped. "Don't say that, Hal! I'm sure there is one out there for you. You just have to keep looking."

Giving me a skeptical look, he leaned back on his chair and sighed.

Suddenly my favorite artist, Pitbull, came over the speakers with his latest song. "Eep!" I shrieked. "I love this song!" I looked at my now-glum friend and decided he needed to have some fun. "Let's dance!"

Haldir gave me a rakish smile. "You desire to bump and grind?"

Scoffing, I stood up and grabbed his hand. "Not quite, Hal. But I am going to get you out dancing!"

I led him to the dance floor on the opposite side of Faith and Robin. The music was fast-paced and my hips swayed in time to the beat as my hands moved rhythmically in the air. Haldir looked confused on how to move right. His hips moved back and forth slowly and he looked unsure of himself. I laughed in spite of myself and he gave me a dirty look.

Covering my laugh up with a hand, I said, "No worries, Hal. I'll have you dancing like Usher by the time we're done!"

Grabbing him around the waist, I stopped his lame swaying. "First off, you just have to listen to the music."

"Listening to the music is the problem, I think," he said dryly.

"Hush! This is good dance music. Ok, now just listen to it and pick out the different sounds. Hear that overall beat?" He nodded. "Ok, that is the main beat." My hands were still on his hips and I moved them in time to mine. "Move your hips to that." By the end of the song Haldir was actually dancing pretty well and I was pretty pleased with myself. Perhaps I should lead a dance school by day and slay by night?

The music changed and the new song was slower; Jeremiah's 'Birthday Sex.' Haldir looked at the crowd to view how to dance to this and then looked at me in confusion. "Ah, so this is more of the fornication music?" He gave a charming smile. "Shall we continue dancing like everyone else?"

Swatting him on the arm I gave him a dirty look. "No, we should probably discontinue this lesson and start hunting for vamps."

Right then I felt the unmistakable feeling of a man grinding against my backside. Pivoting around, I mean-mugged the guy. His thick lips curved into a seductive smile and he grabbed my hand. "Front or back, I don't care how you want to dance, sexy thang. My name's Marcus, what's yours?"

Before I had a chance to tell him off, Haldir stepped in and glowered at the shorter man. "The lady is with me, sir. Do not attempt to grab her without her permission."

The intruder dropped my hand. "Yo, homes. It's not my fault if she wants to dance with me."

"I do not want to dance with you!"

Marcus continued as if he didn't hear me and gave Haldir a hard stare. "I think I'll dance with her if I want."

Haldir stepped forward menacingly and I saw his shoulder muscles tense up. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

"Dawg, you wanna battle me for her?"

Haldir gave out a barking laugh. "Please, I do not think you would win in a battle against me."

I poked Haldir's side, trying to get his attention. "Hal," I whispered side-long, "I don't think he meant it that way."

"Shit, you think you can battle *me*?" Marcus raised his voice and motioned towards the DJ. "Yo, everybody! We got some cracker fool who thinks he can battle me! Can you believe that?"

The music turned down and the crowd started chiming in with some 'oohs' and 'ahhs'.

"Alright, homie! You think you so hot, let's battle. Winner gets a slow dance with the lady." Marcus winked at me obnoxiously.

I tugged on Haldir's shirt. "Um, Hal?" I said under my breath. "Marcus means a dance battle. It's whoever is the best dancer. You do not want to do this. This is some gangsta shit and you, my friend, are not gangsta."

Haldir gave me a determined look and said to me, "I will not allow this man to disrespect both you and me, Sofia." To Marcus he said, "Let us engage in battle!"

A circle formed and Faith and Robin made their way to me. "Is Haldir fucking crazy?" asked Faith. "He doesn't know how to street dance!"

I made the sign of the cross and kissed my index finger and thumb. "Let's hope his elven abilities come through with this. Damn, he is such an old-fashioned, stubborn elf."

"Spin it, Mr. DJ!" called Marcus. Marcus stepped forward in the circle and started doing his thing and the crowd enthusiastically responded. He started with some stiff, robotic moves and moon walked to Haldir. Marcus flipped off his baseball cap and let it tumble down his shoulders before he caught it and hung it backwards on Haldir's head. Clearly, he was calling out my fair-skinned friend for being a wannabe homeboy. Marcus then proceeded to do a back flip and spin for a good twenty seconds on his head. The place was in a roar.

Marcus flipped up. "Okay, Vanilla Face. Let's see yo moves!"

Reassuringly, I squeezed Haldir's arm. I was dreading my friend's embarrassment. The DJ switched to Missy Elliot's 'Lose Control' and Haldir stepped forward. He begun with moves similar to Marcus' stiff moves and then, to my amazement, started to break it down! His body moved like a tornado and he seemed to be everywhere at once. The moves he displayed were at the same time lithe and powerful. He ended it by dropping to the floor on his hands and spinning his legs in a circle before popping back up and slamming Marcus' hat sideways on his head.

The crowd was stunned into silence and then broke out in wild chairs. I looked at Haldir in astonishment and he flashed me a toothpaste ad smile. The DJ spoke over the speakers. "Alright, alright folks! What a show. Tell me, who wins. Make some noise for Maaaaarcus!" The crowd cheered loudly. "Yeah, yeah, now show your love for this newcomer white boyyyyyyyy!" Obviously the crowd screamed louder for Haldir, especially Faith, Robin, and I. "Alright folks, looks like the white boy won this battle!"

Marcus strolled over and shook Haldir's hand. "Damn, dawg. I didn't think you could move like that. Never seen a white boy move like that. Nicely done."

Haldir nodded his head in recognition. "Why thank you Marcus. You also moved admirably. It was a pleasure to battle you."

I went to Haldir's side and hugged me. "How the HELL did you do that?" I looked up at him in bewilderment.

"Marchwardens are trained to be one hundred percent of our surroundings. I had been watching the other people dance since we came in and took mental notes. Of course, due to my training, I am often able to mimic things I've seen which is why I can learn new fighting techniques so well."

"But when we went onto the dance floor you were pretty awful!"

He gave me a guilty smile. "I know how much you enjoying teaching dance. I remember watching you at the banquet last week and wanted to let you teach me again."

I stared at him open-mouth. "Well, hell! And here I thought I was a good teacher for you to break it down so well."

Haldir pulled me close. "You are an excellent teacher, Sofia. Thank you for teaching me."

"Shut up," I muffled into his chest. "Now you're just humoring me."

The music slowed to another R&B song. "Now do I get the dance that I won?"

I glared at him. "*I* did not agree to any conditions. That was between you and him."

Giving me a sad puppy dog smile he moved back and forth in time to the music. "Come now, Vancarmiel."

I was about to relent and tell him ok when Faith grabbed my shoulder. "Be casual, but look towards the door. Six vamps just came out from a back room and are heading for the exit."

Adrenaline began to course through my veins and I tingled all over in anticipation for the fight. In the course of the dance-off and conversation with Haldir about relationships I almost forgot my purpose for going out; my anger with my mother and potentially myself. But I remembered now and couldn't wait for the sweet release a beast disintegrating into dust would bring me.

My lips curled into a cruel smile. "Let's go see if they want to dance."

--------

End Notes:

Time is running short for Haldir and Sofia's adventure in Cleveland! What will happen next????

*Some background I got on elven relationships: .com/what_tolkien_officially_said_

_*__Ellith- _Female elf

*Vanilla Face is a reference to the Borat movie ;)


	29. Discovery of the True One

Chapter 29: Discovery of the True One

The four of us slipped quietly out of the dingy bar through the side exit and surveyed the surrounding area. Dumpsters lined the wall against the building and a dinky parking lot was littered with several banged up vehicles. The overhead lights were apparently just there for show and only faint light escaping from the clouds lit the area. The six vamps were ambling to a dark-colored SUV that glinted under moonlight.

"Faith?" I questioned. I tend to take on leadership qualities when hunting but she obviously outranked me.

"Let's get their attention before they scamper off." Faith gave Haldir a sidelong look. "Haldir, want to try out your new toy?"

Grinning like it was what he was planning all along he pulled the crossbow out of the weapons bag and fitted three arrows into it. Haldir raised his weapon and eyed the vamps for a moment. Just as the first vamp was opening the door a crossbow dart whistled through the air and hit its intended target. The vamp dusted and the others searched the parking lot for us, startled.

One down, five to go.

My body was pumping adrenaline and I had an overwhelming need to sink a fist into some undead flesh. Glancing over at Faith I could see the same thoughts running through her mind and we smiled at each other. Some college girls might join sororities, but not me. I already was a member of the greatest sisterhood ever known.

One vamp with long dreads tied back into a low ponytail growled in our direction. "Who's there?" his voice rumbled.

Faith sauntered out of the shadows and into the parking lot. She raised her arms to rest them upon her head and swayed her bare stomach seductively. "Just 'lil 'ol me. How are you fellas doing?" Her back was to me but I knew she was giving a smile that dripped with sexuality.

Dreads' eyes narrowed at her. "It's a Slayer! Capture her for the Master!"

I blinked in surprise at his last word. The Master? Could it be…? "Don't kill dreadlocks! We need him!"

Everyone gave a small nod and then there was nothing but the chaos of battle. Faith had quickly dusted another vampire and we were now one on one. I took Dreads because I wanted to make sure he stayed alive. However, fighting a vamp without being able to go for the kill is difficult because they are definitely going for the kill themselves. Around me I saw that my three friends had finished with their opponents and I flipped Dreads against his car. Faith and Haldir each grabbed one arm and held him tight in place.

"Hey-ho there, Mr. Dreadlocks, we've got a couple of questions for you."

Dreads snapped his teeth angrily at me. "Hey, *ho*, how about no?"

I was just about to slap him for that cute remark when Haldir grabbed his wrist and snapped it. "Just because you have been captured by us does not mean that you can act un-gentlemanly towards the lady," Haldir advised.

Grinning at Haldir, I thanked him with a slight nod. "Well, looks like you're a little poet. But here's the deal. Don't get cute with us because we don't have a lot of time. Who's your Master?"

The vamp glared at me ominously. "I will never tell you, bitch."

"Wrong answer, asshole." Faith broke his other wrist and he hissed in pain.

"Ready to reconsider that?" I asked in a chilling voice. Dreads just kept glaring at me in defiance and gave me a fang-showing smile. My anger was incensed by his insolence and my hand struck out at his mouth like a viper. I hit the top of his right fang and yanked it out. He howled like a rabid dog and a trail of blood streamed out of his mouth. Faith nodded in approval of my actions but Haldir looked slightly squeamish.

I held the canine tooth up for Dreads to view and said in a sugary voice, "Baby, you know it hurts me just as much as it hurts you to see ya like this." I paused and gave a bright, malicious smile. "Well, ok. Not really. Actually, I don't have a problem with hurting you. Right now I'm thinking of how much fun it would be to have my own necklace of vampire teeth. Sounds quite charming, doesn't it?"

Dreads' eyes widened in alarm. My voice lowered and I stepped closer to you. "Here's the deal. You can continue being coy and saying nothing and I will yank each of your teeth out. Then I will continue removing body parts until eventually all you have left is a heart and a head. And I'll leave you like that. Unless you tell us what we want to know."

"But you'll just kill me."

I shook my head with a smile. "If you're a nice boy, we'll let you out for good behavior."

The dreadlocked vamp pondered on that for a moment. "Fine, but only if you give me money to get the hell out of here. I've heard you Slayers got mad cash."

"Don't know if it's mad, but it works," came Robin's deep voice. "Tell us what you want and you got a deal."

"Fine."

Faith started. "Who is your Master?"

Dreads sighed and looked at the ground. "His name is James and he's old. Me and the guys," he looked around at the dust covered lot, "been working for him for 'bout five years. We do odd jobs and such. A couple days ago he told us to head to Cleveland and find a Slayer."

"Why?"

"I dunno, man! We don't ask questions! James pays good money but he's scary as hell. One nasty looking guy; I know I don't want to be so old I look more like a bat."

Faith and I exchanged looks. She proceeded. "Looks like a bat? How old is he?"

"Damned if I know. It's not like we kick it over a warm body or something." Faith twisted his broken wrist. "Fuck! Alright, alright. He's boasted to me before but I ain't never believed him. Crazy muthafucker said he's 1,000 years and he's the last of the True Ones."

A knot of tension formed in my stomach. "What is a True One?"

Dreads shrugged. "Fuck if I believe him, but he says he can trace himself back to the very first vampire. James thinks he's fucking royalty but I don't believe it."

This time Robin took up the questioning. "Why does he want a Slayer?"

"I dun-OW! Fuck, bitch! Stop twisting my arm!" Dreads snapped his teeth at Faith.

"Oops, must've slipped. Keep feeding us bullshit and I might slip some more."

He started grumbling but restarted his statement. "He told us there were a bunch of Slayers in Cleveland and we had to capture one of them and bring her back. Under no circumstances were we allowed to drink from her or kill her."

"Where were you supposed to take her?"

"I dunno, James told me to call him when we got the bitch… I mean nice, young lady," he eagerly amended

I paused for a moment and made eye contact with Faith. We both thought that was all there was to know. "All right. You're free to leave."

"But-But Sofia," Haldir sputtered. "You cannot let this soulless beast leave."

"Let him go, Haldir."

Dreads stumbled forward and glanced at all of us in surprise. Then he started running out of the parking lot. I bent down, grabbed the crossbow, and fired off a bolt. Dreads exploded into dust and I started walking back to Faith's car.

Strange how I thought patrol would help me feel better. Well, I suppose I felt better about some of my baggage issues and my mom. But realizing there really is a 1,000 year old Master Vampire who can trace himself back to the beginning and is likely already working with Mavlar since he is hunting for a Slayer… Fuck.


	30. There's No Place Like Home

Chapter 30: There's No Place Like Home

As I stared out the car window I noticed how the world seemed awash in grey. Stratus clouds covered the heavens and held the warmth of the sun away from me. On each side of us cement buildings lacking in personality towered above us. Even the people outside were dressed appropriately in dark shades. It seemed the world was reflecting my mood as I could not take my mind off the task was that set before us. Was I skilled enough to be successful in this venture? Would I be able to brave the violence that certainly would come our way? No matter what happened, would I be able to keep true to my morals in face of all odds?

"What are you thinking about, Sofia?"

I looked at Vi, startled. "Just what we're about to do. Its not something I look forward to, you know that."

"Oh for Pete's sake!" cried out Willow. "You are *just* as dramatic as your mother. Going to the mall is fun!"

"Yeah!" chimed in Vi.

Turning away from the window I looked at Vi, who was driving, and Willow. "Guys," I whined. "I love you and am glad that we are spending my last morning together… But the mall? Evil, full of evil!"

Vi giggled. "Be quiet. We're going to have fun. Not to mention there are plenty of sales!"

Groaning, my eyes roved over the mall parking lot as we entered it. "Sales? Its August. That means back-to-school sales. That means whiny brats and crazy parents and fighting over clothes. That means Sofia is going to go crazy."

"Speaking in third person? Sof, are you turning into a WWF wrestler like the Rock?" Willow grinned.

"Noooo. And since when do you know about wrestling?"

Willow looked embarrassed and shrugged her shoulders. "Um, Xander made me watch with him. I didn't want to, of course, but how could I say no?"

Vi and I laughed. Its always fun to remember that no matter how long you've known someone you still never know everything about them.

Willow tried to change the subject and we let her. "So Vi, since you are going back with Haldir and Sofia are you going to buy some special clothes to pal around with attractive elves?" It was decided last night that when we got back to HQ I should have some back-up so Vi had been assigned to go with me later today to Middle-Earth.

Vi blushed a little. "I was planning on buying a new outfit and yes, I was thinking about taking it with me… But not for that reason, of course."

"Oh yeah, for sure. After all, there are attractive men in Lothlorien that you can impress as well!"

"Speaking of which…" Uh-oh, Will had her determined face on. "We have not had a chance to pump you for information about any male potential sweeties you've met. Just how good of friends are you with Haldir?"

Sighing, I turned around to face her eager expression. "Honestly, I really don't think Haldir and I are like that, although we are becoming very close friends. He's an amazing person."

Giving me a dejected look, Willow asked "Really? I was *so* hoping there was something there. He seems like a great guy."

"And hot!" Vi interjected.

"You're right, Haldir is hot… But so are the other elves there." I giggled and I felt my cheeks warm as I thought of the other ellon in my life.

"Oh yeah, now we're getting somewhere! Spill it, Sof."

I glanced at Vi warily as she averted an incoming car while searching for a parking space. "Ok, ok, I'll spill. Just don't take your eyes off the road, mmkay?"

She nodded in agreement and I began my story. It wasn't until the events since I slayed the fell beast that I realized how much weight I carried in my heart. Things were not quite rose-tinted but my time with the elves, especially Elladan, and my talk with Faith last night had lessened the baggage I had been carrying for so long. When Willow suggested last night that we get in some girl time with Vi, her, and I before I left I immediately agreed. It has been far too long since we three have spent quality time together.

By the time I was done we had finally found a parking space at the edge of the parking lot. We continued chatting as we got out and began the trek towards chaos, aka the mall.

"Wow, Sofia! I am so excited for you! Its been so long, you totally deserve a great guy like that! He seems so sweet!" Vi's cheerful demeanor broke me and I began grinning like a high school girl who just got to wear her sweetie's letterman jacket.

"Thanks Vi. Elladan is… Wonderful. I mean, its only been a week and I still don't know what will happen or how real it is, but I like him. He gives me butterflies."

"Butterflies lazily enjoying a summer day or butterflies high on speed?" Willow gave me a deep look.

I paused as I considered her comment. I knew that was an intentional remark and I can still remember the day of its origin. About a month into dating Erik I was blabbering to Will about how amazing, hot, sweet, sensitive, etc Erik was. I went on to say that while some of my past boyfriends may have given me butterflies they were clearly butterflies lazily enjoying a summer day rather than the butterflies high on speed that Erik gave me.

Looking into her eyes and glancing at Vi I asked, "So Faith told you?"

Vi looked away, nervous I bet at how I'll react. I looked to Willow and she grabbed my hand. "Of course she did. Stuff that intense should not be kept a secret. We love you and want to help however we can."

I smiled sadly at how I had been shutting two of my favorite people out. "Its cool. I'm glad she told you." Will and I hugged and Vi clutched both of us. We pulled back and I added, "I am sorry how I've been… I guess I haven't been always the easiest person to be around…" I trailed off.

"Oh hush, that's all in the past." Will smiled at me and I love that she always knows how to make me feel better; whereas some folks would delve into a conversation about everything. "Besides, you did not answer my question. What types of butterflies does Elladan give you?"

Musing silently, I relented. "Elladan is like no one else I've ever met. When he kisses me," I touched my lips, "it's the most incredible sensation. There's definite sparkage. But since he's the first guy I've been liked since Erik I don't know how I feel about him. Ya know, if he's just a rebound or something more. Not to mention, the whole immortal elf thing."

"Well, you'll figure it out Sofia. New crushes are always exciting though, I envy you for that."

I gave my girl a sympathetic look. "I heard about Kyle. So he really freaked out on you?" Vi had been dating Kyle for three months. Kyle had seemed like a good guy and was from Texas like Vi so they had a lot of chemistry from what I heard.

She frowned and started ranting. "Ugh, it was so stupid! We had such a good thing going when we were strolling in the park and this guy mugged us. Or tried, anyways. I totally stepped in and took care of him and what does Kyle do? Freak out! He couldn't handle the fact that I wasn't a little girl and could fight off a mugger while he practically peed his pants! Serious loser," she stated vehemently. "I still cannot believe he had the nerve to break up with me!"

"Aw hell, Vi. You don't need him! Someone that is a coward is obviously not good enough for you. Forget him."

She gave me a look. "Trust me, I have been working on that. It's a shame that most of the men in Cleveland are beyond lame." She gestured in the halls of the mall.

I nodded in glum agreement as we surveyed some of the guys walking around. "True that."

We spent the next hour and a half trying on some fabulous clothes and having a blast. All three of us were very similar while also very different. Each of us loved laughing and being silly; once you got us going it could be hard to stop. Willow was definitely the more mature one of us though; I guess performing universe changing power (once for good and once for evil) can do that to a person. Sometimes when Vi and I got out of hand she would give us a look that said clearly said she thought we were crazy. Vi was truly one of the nicest people in the world. Sometimes too nice, like when she actually stops and listens politely to the foreign man at the kiosk in the middle of the mall hallway trying to sell her sea salt. As for me, I'm not quite sure where I fit in. I suppose I was the sarcastic and bitchier one of our group; I was always yanking Vi away from the sea salt guys. All in all, we made a great team.

As we were finishing up at our favorite store I had a brilliant idea. How selfish of me, but I had not thought that it would be a genius idea to get my new Middle-Earth friends gifts! So we spent the next hour feverishly moving from one store to the next in search of the perfect present. By the time we were done Vi and Will stamped their approval on my gifts and I couldn't wait to go back.

The next few hours flew by. Haldir and I said good-bye to my family. Before the official good-bye my mama and I had talked for a while on the fight the night before. With someone as emotional as my mama there were definitely tears on her side… Maybe mine as well. It was a thorny experience because obviously I could not tell her the truth- that I was a Slayer, that Erik was my secret husband, and that an evil sorcerer took over Erik's body. But I made some amendments so I could express more of my life and my mama apologized profusely for what she said. To give her some hope for my romantic life I did tell her that I had met someone (who was *not* Haldir) so she was exuberant at that thought.

Time with the Scoobies went quickly as well. Faith and Company were going to track down James, the 1,000 year old Master Vampire, and figure out who he was. It was thought if they could get to him before Mavlar had him then we could potentially prevent Sauron's plan. Of course, from the stories we heard of Buffy and the Master of the Order of Aurelius, if a vampire gets to be that old then he will be extremely powerful and hard to kill. Vi and I were to tell our Middle-Earth comrades the scoop and find a way to stop Mavlar. Simple, right?

I sighed at that thought and glanced around our mystical hotspot that is the Browns' stadium.

Willow was setting up the crystals with Dawn's assistence while Caridad and Vi played look-out. Faith and the others were busy with the research and intimidation for information at local haunts. I sidled over to Haldir. "Excited to go home?"

He smiled and spoke softly so not to interrupt Willow's concentration. "Very much so." Off my look he added, "Not that I do not enjoy your world Sofia, but there is no place like home."

I laughed. "Say it three times and don't forget to bring Toto with you." The imagery of Haldir in red dress shoes tapping his feet was a priceless one for sure.

As usual, Haldir just gave me a confused look and turned to look at my friends. "Are you happy that Vi is coming with us?"

"Yeah. She's my girl and having her with me will make me a bit less homesick. Of course, my protective side is worried that if they wanted a Slayer and tortured me, well, it makes me worried for her, ya know?"

"Of course. My brothers are excellent warriors but I still worry about their safety nontheless."

I leaned into Haldir and wrapped my arm around him. "Thanks, Hal."

He looked down at me with a bemused expression. "For what?"

I shrugged shyly. "Just for… Just for getting me. I don't find that many people I connect with so quickly and for some reason we just seem to be on the same wavelength."

Haldir beamed at me and hugged me tightly. "Sofia, it is an honor that you consider us to be on the same wavelength. I assume that means we understand each other well?"

I laughed and told him yes. "Also," I changed the subject, "Do you know if Amras is single?"

I got an alarmed look from Haldir. "Is Elladan not satisfying your needs already Vancarmiel?"

"Oh! No, no, no! I was thinking, "I lowered my voice, "for Vi. I've only hung out with him a couple times but I thought they might hit it off."

He shook his head and clucked his tongue at me. "You are as bad as Ariellan, I see. Yes, as far as I know he is not promised to any female."

I pursed my lips. "Hey now, I'm not as bad as Ariellan. I've never tried to matchmake before. Well, once I tried hooking Willow up with this girl I met in class but it didn't work out. But that's it."

Haldir raised an eyebrow. "You tried to match Willow up with a female?"

Immediately I was on the defensive; which comes from growing up around extremely conservative Catholics and having a good friend that is gay. "Yes, do you have a problem with that?"

Giving me a flustered look he raised his hands in surrender. "No, not at all! I just did not realize Willow is attracted to the opposite sex. I was unsure if that occurred in your culture."

"Well, it does. Not many folks, but it does."

"Is it socially acceptable?"

"Hmm. Depends on what country you are in. In America it is becoming more acceptable but many prejudices are still held by people. They've made their way into our laws as well. Some states ban gay people from getting married and others ban gay couples from adopting children. Unfortunately, there are still many rights people are being denied; which I think is absolutly rediculous. They are just like any other person and who are we to deny someone love just because its different from they stereotypical American values?"

Haldir gave me a long look. "Sofia, it makes me glad to hear you say that you support you friend regardless of who she is attracted to."

"Of course, silly! My friends are my family. Now, you don't seem surprised to learn of this. Is homosexuality accepted in Middle-Earth?"

Haldir gestured with his hands back and forth. "Yes and no. The Edain, the humans, do not widely approve of it but it exists. I am unsure about the other races of the world, but elves are accepting. Of course, it is still uncommon and there are not many who claim to be attracted to the opposite sex. There are times when two members of the same sex may engage in relations for pleasure but not often due to relationships. In fact, many see same sex relations as okay but consider it odd to wed a person of the same gender."

My eyebrows furrowed as I took that in. "Why?"

"Well, because many see the joining of two fëa as something that typically results in proceation. Its not that elves would deny others their rights but its generally an unheard of custom."

"Wow, that's pretty interesting. I guess I never thought that elves would have those kinds of similarities to humans."

Haldir looked deep in thought and I was about to ask him what he was thinking when Willow called us over. The portal was ready and it was time to return to Lothlorien. My heart fluttered as I realized I could see Elladan soon.

Vi, Haldir, and I walked towards the portal with two bulging suitcases each. Of course, Haldir's two suitcases belonged to Vi and I. We both had trouble packing lightly, especially knowing we were going to a place without jeans and other necesities.

Glancing at each of them, I took a deep breath. "Here we go again!"


	31. Thuringwethil, the Mistress Herald

Chapter 31: Thuringwethil, the Mistress Herald

I clutched the handles of my suitcases fervently as I felt my body fly through the air. Before I slammed into the ground I tucked and rolled to reduce the impact. For a moment I lay still on the ground to alleviate my dizziness. Slowly I stood up and saw we were in the large meeting room of the Lady and Lord of Lothlorien. The past week of my stay here included dinner nightly in this large room

I flung my disheveled hair over my shoulders and saw Haldir and Vi gingerly stand up. In front of us were many of the leaders from Lothlorien and the Dunedain, and Gandalf. Each of them looked baffled to see us tumble out of the portal. Quickly my eyes spotted on of the few dark-haired men in the room and Elladan's eyes lit up at the sight of me. He jumped up and made his way towards me. "Sofia! You are safe!"

I shrieked with laughter as Elladan took me in his arms and twirled me around. When he set me down and pulled me tightly against his firm chest I felt a moment of sheer bliss. My fingers ran through his long hair and I breathed in his woodsy smell. "Elladan, I am no glad to see you again!"

Suddenly I realized we had an audience and I pulled back reluctantly. Everyone stared at us shocked. Well, not everyone. Galadriel had a knowing smile as did Arwen. Elrohir's expression was harder to fathom but he looked upset.

"What wonderful timing you three have. We were just beginning dinner and talks of your situation." Galadriel smiled serenely and motioned for us to join them sitting on some pillows strategically placed on the wood floor.

All three of us murmured 'thank you' and took our spots in the circle. Elladan sat down next to his grandmother and I stayed at his side with Vi on my other. "Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn," I began, "may I present my friend and Vampire Slayer, Violet Day."

The Lord and Lady bowed their head in greeting. "Welcome, Violet Day, the one they call Vi. Welcome to the elven city of Caras Galadhon and to Middle-Earth."

Vi looked stumped. "How did you know my nickname?"

I whispered to Vi, "Trust me, she's full of wacky knowledge. She's the kind of person you want to take with you to Vegas."

"Oh. Um, pleased to meet you both, Lady Galadirel and Lord Celeborn. It is an honor to be in your city." Both members of elven nobility appeared pleased by her sincere voice and bright smile.

A confused Aragorn began talking. "Haldir and Sofia, welcome back. Welcome to you, Vi. I must say, your disappearance has been mystifying us for a day now. Gandalf and Galadriel assured us that your disappearance was not related to the forces of evil. But I think I speak for all of us that we would love to hear what occurred the other day."

Haldir gestured for me to speak. "Well…" I told them what had occurred, from Willow bringing us to my homeland to slaying the dreadlocked vampire that worked for the Master. It was a long story and throughout it I could see Gandalf stroking his beard and the others frowning in deep thought.

"So basically," I summarized, "we know a few things. One, Mavlar works for Sauron and is opening portals in my world to find a Master vampire and needs a vampire slayer's blood to feed to a Mistress Herald. Two, Mavlar likely found the Master vampire named James who has bragged of a kick ass pedigree chart. So what we need to find out is who is the Mistress Herald and why does Sauron want her and what the vampire and vampire slayer blood has to do with it. And, of course, we need to kill James before he does whatever Sauron needs him for and we need to make sure Mavlar doesn't raise this ominous sounding chick by preferably killing him."

Our whole group sat in stunned silence and only the occasional chewing of food could be heard. Elladan rubbed his thumb across the top of my hand reassuringly.

"Well, madam. You are quite the storyteller," Gandalf rumbled in a voice that sounded like he smoked too much. "As luck would have it, I have something to contribute to the story as well. I have not spoken it to the others because I wanted to hear you speak. But I believe my suspicions are correct. I discovered while I was away from you all just who Sauron is attempting to bring back."

He paused and took a deep drink from his goblet. "When the world was created thousands of years ago it was created by our God who is called Eru Ilúvatar. Eru employed angelic agents who we term the Valar to assist with the task of shaping the development of the world. However, one of the Valar, named Melkor, grew jealous of Eru and soon fell from grace. All the evil in the world stems from Melkor and for years he sought to destroy what he could of Eru's creation.

"Melkor recruited a lesser angelic being, who we term the Maiar, named Sauron. Sauron too fell from grace and served as Melkor's lieutenant in all things. Sauron was not alone in his task of aiding Melkor in spreading darkness over Middle-Earth. He recruited many others to serve him, including another Maia named Thuringwethil. Stories of her in the First Age are scarce, but there are several things we know. Thuringwethil served as a Herald for Sauron and was the first and only vampire known in the histories of Middle-Earth."

Thoughtlessly, I interrupted Gandalf. "No fucking way! A vampire here? Whose name sounds you like you talk with a lisp?" I return I got a grim look and he continued.

"Thuringwethil had great wings that were barbed and had an iron claw at each joint. She caused much destruction in her time and was irreplaceable to Sauron as his only winged servant. However, it is said that Thuringwethil was killed during a great battle between Sauron and the elf Lúthien and Hound of Valinor Huan. Indeed, it is said that Lúthien used her hide in order to disguise herself when she ventured into Melkor's lair."

Immediately the room was buzzing with conversation.

"Thuringwethil is dead, how can Sauron hope to bring her back?"

"Why would Sauron bring her back right now?"

"What does this have to do with the Vampire James or the Slayers?"

"How do we stop it?"

And me. "Whaaaat?" The story had been an impressive one but didn't seem to make any fucking sense. I mean, if that elf used Thuringwethil's hide as a cloak then how did they expect to bring her back? Except…

"Did they ever bury Thuringwethil? Crush her bones?" Gandalf surveyed me and apparently assumed I asked the best question because he chose to answer me.

"No record has been kept of what happened to Thuringwethil. Why do you ask such a question, Sofia?"

I sighed and looked at Vi. This adventure was getting more exciting by the minute. "I've spoken to you of our leader, Buffy Summers. Buffy fought a master vampire once who was rumored to be 600 years old. She staked him and then carted his bones to the cemetery. A few months later some of his followers got together and tried to resurrect him. See, because he had been so powerful and left his bones; whereas most vamps just turn into dust; they were able to resurrect him. Buffy had to crush his bones to make sure the dude stayed dead."

Gandalf mused silently for a moment. "What did they need to resurrect him?"

"In that case they needed the blood of the people who were closest to him at the time of death; closest as in proximity not bffs."

Vi responded. "Well, obviously no one from that time is around. So why do they think they can bring her back?"

"I bet if she was strong enough; I mean, the chick was at one time a fucking heavenly creature; then maybe they don't need that. Maybe!" I started to get excited as the gears in my head worked their way out. "Maybe that's why they need the Master Vampire who can trace his line. If Thuringwethil was the first vampire then the blood of her kin could maybe do the job!"

"And," began Haldir, "you spoke that vampire slayer blood is potent to vampires. Perhaps they see your blood as the key!"

"Yet, why would Sauron wish to bring her back?" Aragorn looked to Galadriel and Celeborn.

Galadriel cocked her head to the side. "An excellent question. One can assume that if Sauron wants to grow in power he may desire the assistance of his former servants. As one who has lived in the time of Thuringwethil I can tell you that she was a fearsome creature and served as an inspiration of terror to the other servants of Sauron. Regardless of what we decide, we cannot allow her to be brought back into this world."

"How shall we do that, Grandmother?" asked the adorable ellon sitting next to me.

Galadriel laughed lightly. "You are more of the warrior than I, Elladan. What does your heart tell you?"

Elladan glanced to his brother on the opposite side of the circle. "We know that Sofia's fellow warriors are looking for the Master Vampire James in her world. I believe we need to focus on finding Mavlar and destroying him first. Of course, we need to send scouts to figure his location so we can surprise him, lest he use his dark sorcery on us again."

"I believe that is a fine idea, brother. Perhaps we can send out two teams of Dunedain and wardens out to scout while we draw up plans. Hopefully, the scouts could arrive within the week and inform us of where to go." I was confused for a second when Aragorn called Elladan brother until I remembered Arwen telling me that Elrond, their father, had served as Aragorn's foster father.

The rest of the meal went by in a similar manner as they discussed plans and decided who would serve as scouts. I sat quietly eating; content to hear them speak and have Elladan next to me. The battle would come but for now was satisfied to be in his presence. I smiled as I thought how much I was looking forward to a time later tonight when the only other presence would be his as we escaped to our usual hide out.


	32. Smores & Kisses

**Ch. 32: Smores and Kisses**

I caught Elladan's eye over the campfire and was momentarily mesmerized by how the light of the fire flickered over his face. It highlighted the concaves of his cheekbones, his slender nose, and the lusciousness of his lips. My heart sped at the moment I thought of kissing those lips and suddenly I felt a yearning for him that I was not accustomed to. What is it about this elf that draws me so fiercely? Since the first moment we spoke he has caused a strong reaction in me; although not always a positive reaction.

I sighed and turned back to my snack. A part of me felt foolish to feel so strongly for someone so quickly. Logically, I knew it was unusual. Logically, I knew I shouldn't feel strongly for a male so quickly unless it was a strong case of lust. Yet…My feelings are perplexing to even myself. Sometimes I think that this is just me jumping into a relationship with the first man I've been attracted to since Erik. That maybe I am just looking for someone to be a companion. But that's me thinking and analyzing.

When I don't think… When I just feel… Well, that's when things start to feel dangerous. Dangerous in the sense that sometimes I feel like I'm losing myself in thoughts of him. Like now, for example. There were quite a few of us enjoying the campfire: Elladan, Elrohir, Arwen, Aragorn, Vi, Amras, Haldir, Ariellan, Orophin, and Rumil. Luckily Willow was able to do a spell on Vi so she could understand Westron and was able to talk to everyone. It was decided after dinner that a small get-together to introduce Vi would be appropriate and since I'm a sucker for sweets I brought all the ingredients for 'Smores. But instead of being super social I keep trading suggestive glances with Elladan like some high school girl trying to cut class in order to make out in the janitor's closet.

"Sofia?"

Sharply I looked up from my 'Smore. Everyone was staring at me and I had the feeling they had been trying to get my attention for a while. "Yeah?"

Haldir tried to hide his amused grin but failed miserably. "I was just telling everyone about my experience at your dance bar and needed you to confirm that I happen to be quite the accomplished dancer in your world."

Inwardly I hit myself for daydreaming and answered automatically. "Uh, yeah. Haldir did a decent job." Then I laughed as I realized the entire episode. "Yeah, he was pretty awesome. I think my favorite part was when they called him 'Vanilla Face'." Vi cracked up at that, but sadly she was the only one to get it.

"Why would he be called Vanilla Face?" asked Ariellan.

"Ok, there is a hilarious movie…um, play, called Borat. He's this guy that goes on a bunch of different adventures to explore my country and the whole time he is just making fun of people. So after he meets up with these black dudes from the hood, which is generally what we call the poor side of town where a lot of non-white folks are, he goes to a hotel. At the hotel he acts like he's from the hood and talks to the white dude in charge and says 'what up Vanilla Face?' Its freaking hilarious and even more so because Borat is white."

"Oh, so it's a term that's referred to according to skin color?" Arwen gave me a quizzical look.

"Yeah, though not very often. It's more of a thing from that play." I sat and stared around at my new Middle-Earth friends and realized that they were all Vanilla Faces. "Actually, do you guys have people with different skin color here? Or is everyone white?"

"I do not believe we are white, Sofia. Only the dead are pale and white" said Aragorn.

I was wondering how to explain racial meanings to people from another dimension. "Well, white just means that you are light-complected. Just like in my world we call real dark-skinned folks who have ancestry from the African continent black, even though their skin is not black just a dark shade of brown."

"Ah, I see. Many in Middle-Earth are light-complected but in the south, near Sauron's stronghold of Mount Doom, the people of Harad are dark-skinned like yourself. I am not quite sure why there is a difference and have not spent much time in that area."

"Aragorn, is it warmer and sunnier there?"

"Indeed. It is often warm and humid; the sun can beat rather mercilessly."

"That makes sense." I went on to explain. "See, the pigmentation of our skin is formed according to our ancestry. People who live in sunny and warm locations have darker skin in order to better protect them against the harsh sunlight. Others who live where there is not a lot of sun have lighter skin because they don't need dark skin to absorb sunrays. I mean, I'm not a scientist but that is the gist."

"That is an interesting viewpoint, Sofia. Do you study those things at the university you attend?" Arwen leaned forward from her spot on the other side of the campfire.

"Oh no! I have two majors right now, Archaeology and Ancient History and Latin. I picked those two up because they are helpful with the Slaying gig. Archaeology and Ancient History is the study of ancient cultures and, duh, history. Since a lot of the things we encounter in slaying refer back to ancient civilizations its really helpful. Latin is a very old language that is no longer commonly spoken but is the root of many other languages. So it helps when learning a new language or deciphering ancient texts. Both of the majors are difficult but are valuable when doing slaying related research. Of course, because they are so hard, Oxford as a school is hella hard, and because I occasionally take off to save the world means I'm still a year away from graduating."

"Both of those sound fascinating, Sofia. Tell me, Vi, do you attend university as well?" Amras was giving Vi his full attention and I mentally cheered at the prospect of matchmaking them.

"Me? Oh, well I took classes for a couple years at Cleveland State University but eventually my slaying just got in the way of it. I've spent the last couple years as a scout traveling different countries in order to find new slayers and recruit them for training. When I was at school I loved my education classes." Vi smiled and blushed. He voice lowered like she was telling a secret. "Actually, I always wanted to be a teacher. I still think about it but I doubt it will ever happen."

"Come now, Vi. If you desire to be a teacher then surely you can." Ariellan gave Vi an encouraging smile.

Vi laughed lightly. "Maybe, we'll see. Maybe my travels will quiet down in the future."

Aragorn started laughing. "Yes, I imagine traveling must be quite hard for both of you. Just to come to Middle-Earth you brought three large pieces of luggage each!"

Everyone laughed at Aragorn's remark. "Hey now," I started. "You better be nice because part of what's in those luggage pieces are presents."

"Presents?" Orophin exclaimed. "Sofia, how cruel of you to have us sit here for so long without presents!" Ariellan, who was cuddled up against him, swatted him on the arm. "What?" he asked her.

"Okay, okay. Let me just go get them. I'll run back my talan and bring them." My friends cheered at that idea.

Elladan stood up and stretched. "And since Sofia has such a hard time making her way through the mazes of our city I'll make sure she does not get lost." My heart flip-flopped as he walked towards me.

"Alrighty then," I said with a smile.

We started walking in the direction of my talan where I heard Orophin jokingly mutter, "Right then, everyone. What should we do for the next couple hours while we wait for them to *look for* the *presents*?" Our friends laughed and so did Elladan and I.

We walked in comfortable silence to my talan just holding hands and enjoying one another's company. The city was lit, as always, in ethereal light. I could never comprehend how the arrangements of lamps could form such heavenly light, but it did. A walk through the city seems to be a dream because there seems to be no way that reality could be so sweet, soft, and lovely. The lights of the city were not bright and it was possible, through gaps in the trees, to witness the twinkling lights of the heavens. Each step I took made me feel more alive and I could almost feel the life within the grass and the trees. While I have seen beautiful places in my travels I now knew nothing compared to Lothlorien.

"What are you thinking?" asked Elladan once we reached my talan.

I stopped and stared up into his sparkling grey eyes. "Just how beautiful the city is; it feels like a dream."

"Yes," he leaned forward with a devilish smile, "very beautiful indeed." His lips came to stop an inch before mine own and his arms came to rest on either side of my shoulders against the door.

Leaning back against the door I peered at him underneath my eyelashes. I had taken great care with my looks before jumping in the portal. My make-up was lightly done but I had embellished my dark eyes and glossed my lips. My favorite jeans clung to all my best parts and I wore a black, short-sleeve button up t-shirt that dipped only low enough to hint at a bit of cleavage. Knowing that no one in Middle-Earth had even seen me on a good hair day I had taken extra time to make my curls extra intense but still soft and touchable. Needless to say, it was all for Elladan.

Seductively, I nosed Elladan's jaw line up to his ears and whispered, "Why, my Lord, are you trying to seduce me?" My moth hovered over his ear and I blew softly. He stiffened and I ran my tongue around the outer edges of his ear.

"Keep doing things like that like that Orophin will be lucky to get his present in two days rather than two hours," he said in a low, throaty voice.

Deciding to play innocent I asked "Keep doing what?" and bit gently on his earlobe.

Without even knowing what happened, in one swift moment we went from standing in front of the door to Elladan kissing me fervently on top of my bed. His lips spilled kisses along my jaw, my neck, and my collarbone. I could only gasp at the sensation of his moist lips teasing me and my skin tingled at his touch. My hands had a mind of their own and traveled throughout the strands of his hair, his shoulders, his back, his chest, and his face. I felt as if I were drowning and clung onto him as my life preserver.

I pulled him up to me and we kissed softly. "Sofia," he whispered breathlessly, "It feels so good to hold you again. I was quite worried for your safety when you disappeared."

"Elladan, you have no need to fear. I can handle myself." He just held me against his chest and we stared into each other's eyes.

His thumb stroked my lips gently. "I know you are a great warrior, Sofia. If you were attacked your strength and skill would protect you." He sighed. "No, at the end of the day that is not what frightened me."

I gave him a tender kiss. "What frightened you?"

Up and down his hand stroked against my back. "Sofia, I am unsure if you want to know. I see the pain of the past in your eyes and know you have your own fears about being with me. I do not wish to frighten you further."

"Frighten? How would you frighten me?" I clasped my hands behind his head and looked straight into his eyes in a search for the truth.

For a moment we just stared at each other in silence while we examined each other. "I wish not to frighten you by telling you of my feelings and causing you to turn from me in fear."

"No, I-"

"You may say no but I can read that a heaviness lines your heart and you are still healing from a pain due to a previous love. I can tell that you wish to take this slow and be light-hearted for a moment as you continue to heal."

His words were so matter-of-fact that I hesitated while I processed the conversation. He's afraid he'll scare me away? Would he scare me away? The pain he spoke of is true, but…

"And if I say you cannot scare me away?"

Elladan gave me a genuine smile. "Then I would say that the instant I discovered you disappeared for the second moment in our short time together I feared you were gone from me forever. For all I knew, you were back in your home or another dimension even and I may have never seen you again. These feelings are new to me but the thought of you out of my life, especially when you had just become part of it, made my heart feel a sorrow never previously felt."

"I bet you say that to all the girls," I winked.

He pulled me to lay down into the bed with him. "Only the most aggravating, charming, sharp-tongued, beautiful, frustrating, and strong girls." He stole a kiss from me as I laughed at his words.

"Don't worry Elladan," I said to return to our serious moment. "Even if a portal swallowed me up I don't think I could live happily without seeing you again so don't worry, you can't get rid of me that easily." I leaned in for a drawn out, deep kiss.

"Good." We resumed kissing. His skin felt like the cleanest, smoothest silk and he smelled of the outdoors. Thanks to the 'Smores he tasted like chocolate but I didn't mind. Our bodies molded together and I held him tightly against me.

As our kissing intensified he sat up and I straddled him on the bed. My fingers rove through the thick, soft strands of his hair and I gasped as his mouth trailed from my lips down to the tip of where my v-neck began. I felt dizzy with desire and I could feel a similar reaction from him. I gave him one more long, deep, agonizing kiss that made me want to continue rather then stop, but instead at the end I stood up and smoothed my clothes.

"Sofia, why are you standing? Come back," Elladan smiled, stretched out his arms and grabbed my hands. He started to pull me towards him but I refrained.

"Elladan, maybe we should get back to the fire before things get too intense here." I was still panting slightly and trying to keep myself in check so I didn't tackle him.

Elladan paused for a moment and stood up. "Of course, Sofia. You are correct. We should," he paused to give me a hell of a kiss, "get back."

I stared at him dumbfounded. Damn hormones are turning me into an idiot! I shook myself mentally and said, "Of course."

I giggled and walked over to the suitcase. "As the gentleman, I assume you will roll the suitcase back down to the campfire."

He gave me a wry smile. "As you desire, my lady."


	33. Shurikens, Laptops, & Sai, Oh My!

**Ch. 33: Shurikens, Laptops, and Sai; Oh My!**

We came back upon a boisterous crowd at the campfire. Vi was telling a slaying story and everybody was enraptured. We waited until the punch line to walk back into the circle. I was proud of VI. She's kind of shy around new people but, like me, she must already feel comfortable around the elves and Dunedain because she was acting like herself.

"Nice of you to join us, brother," cried Aragorn as we walked back in.

"Ah, yes, I imagine it must have been difficult to find that large, bulging suitcase in your small talan, Sofia." Orophin gave me a mischievous grin.

I was quite thankful when both of their significant others swatted them on the arm.

"Ho, ho, ho! I've got some presents for all the good little boys and girls!" I took the suitcase from Elladan and swung it on my back. Then I sighed because I realized Vi was the only one who got that. It's rather aggravating when even the most common cultural phrases and objects are unknown to my Middle-Earth friends.

"Let me guess, Vancarmiel, is that another one of your phrases from your world?"

"Yes, Haldir." Then I quickly explained the concept of Santa Clause; how he was a folk figure throughout the world who delivered presents to good children by climbing into their home on a religious holiday and that children would sit on his lap to ask for presents.

"Anyways," I continued, "I suppose its present time." I gave a sly smile. "Hmm. Who should get the first present?" My eyes roved across them until I settled on Haldir. "Hal? Since you have been fortunate to experience the glory that is Cleveland you can be first." I was extremely please that my underworld connections were able to get me access to some of the gifts I would be handing out.

Haldir grinned and held out his hands eagerly. I dropped a medium sized box into his hands and stood back in anticipation. Opening it slowly his face broke out into a grin when he saw what was in there. "Vancarmiel! Thank you!" He held up a smoothly polished crossbow that I had owned since I picked it up in Eastern Europe.

"You're welcome, Hal! I knew how much you enjoyed using it and thought you may enjoy your own. But look under the layer of paper because there is something else, too."

Gingerly he lifted up the paper and his mouth dropped open. He lifted up a book 'Krumping and Breaking: Your Guide to Hip-Hop Dancing.' Since I knew he could still understand English after Willow's spell he cracked up laughing at reading the title.

"That's so you can keep practicing your moves and maintain your street cred, Vanilla Face." I turned to the others and explained that it was a book complete with pictures of dance moves and a history of hip-hop dance. Everyone seemed amazed by the glossy, full-color pages and Arwen joked that he would have to take up my role as dance instructor in Lothlorien.

I turned to Elrohir and dropped a smaller box in his hands. He opened it and lifted out a eight-pointed shuriken throwing blade and gave me a questioning look.

"Well, I figured what do you get a warrrior but weapons? Those are called _shuriken_ throwing blades, or ninja stars by fanboys, and are a martial arts weapon. They were used in a country called Japan by warriors who used them to wound or harrass enemies. _Shurikens_ can be quite useful in combat to surprise the enemy because they can be hidden in your hand or strapped to your forearm." I smiled brightly at Elrohir and was dissappointed by his lack of enthusiasm.

"Thank you, Sofia," he said stiffly. "But I am quite comfrotable with my current tools, the sword and bow. I do not see a need for this creation from your world."

My smile slid off my face and my stomach twinged with a nervous clench. Somehow I got the idea the throwing blades were not the only creation from my world he felt he didn't need.

"Elrohir, don't be rude. They may not come in handy but I'm sure they will be interesting objects to practice with and collect," Elladan admonished.

In return, Elrohir smiled at me and said, "Of course. I will do that. Thank you Sofia." But his smile did not reach his eyes and his cold grey eyes reminded me of slushy snow.

"Come now, Sofia! Are you planning to make me suffer by continuing to endure this curious torment?" Orophin gave me a goofy smile and I thanked him silently for turning the tone in our gathering.

"Well, while making you suffer is a good use of my time I suppose I will relent." I grinned and handed him his gift.

Orophin pulled out the a pair of _a_that were inside. His face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning; guess I am like Santa. "Incredible! I have never seen anything like this before." He stood up and practiced some moves with his new weapons.

"Those are _sai_. Those weapons originate from Asia and are incredible versatile. You can use it to stab your enemy or block blows." I smiled as I thought of what made me decide to give him that. As I was trying to think of what to give comical Orophin I had a memory about watching the goofy crime-fighting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and thought one of their main weapons would be a suitable gift.

"Thanks Sofia!" Orophin gave me a quick hug.

Rumil, who I did not know very well and spoke little Westron, was next. Haldir translated what I said and he received a _dirk_ which is a Scottish dagger that can be particularly useful if your sword gets thrown in battle. I had no idea what he said but he seemed to like his gift.

"Arwen, you were a hard person to shop for. Finally, I decided to give you something of mine I collected long ago and thought you may like since you appreciate different forms of dance."

She smiled wryly. "Will you be giving me a book on hip-hop as well?"

I laughed and motioned for her to open her gift. She pulled out a pair of _castanets_ and gave me a confused look. "This is for dancing?"

"Yup. Its from the country of Spain and its used in flamenco dancing. You hook your thumb through the string and rest the shells in your palm. Then you can use it as a percussion instrument." I modeled for everyone how it is used. "As for the dance, I really don't know how to do it but it involves a lot of foot stomping." I did a mock flamenco dance. "Of course," I added, "its far more lovely when done by someone who knows what they are doing."

"Thank you mellon nin. I will cherish these and perhaps find a way to incorportate them into elven dance. What is this second item, a fan?"

My smile grew bright as she pulled out the metal fan and opened it. "I know how much of a warrior you are in your own right and thought this was the perfect gift. It's an iron _tessen_ fan used at one point by the Samuris of Japan. You can use it as a harmless fan to cool off or use it to deflect blows from arrows and even use it as an offensive tool. Its fairly heavy and when striking in the right spot it can be quite deadly as well."

Arwen laughed and gave me a huge hug. "This is wonderful! I admit, I was a bit jealous seeing my brothers receive weapons. This tool is seems perfect for me."

I laughed and said, "Hey, we warrior girls need to stick together."

Ariellan was next. She opened up a small box and gave me a confused look She started to pull it out when I said, "Wait! Actually, that gift is probably not something you want to share, with everyone anyhow."

Curious Orophin immediately tried to look in the box and I covered his eyes. "Sorry, dude. It's a secret. Lets just say I followed in my American tradition of getting the bride something for her wedding night." Ariellan's face flushed as she fingered the lacy scraps of material inside the box. Haldir clapped Orophin on the back and both the males and females of our group chuckled.

On his part, Orophin's eyes got big and his grin got even bigger. "Excellent. Have I ever told you how much I like having you around, Sofia?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "No, don't think you did until I began bribing you with gifts. I know we haven't spoken of it much, but have you decided what to do about your wedding?" As suspected, they had postponed it until Haldir arrived back.

"Yes, we will have it the day after next now that my dear brother has returned to us." We all cheered and Ariellan and Orophin shared a quick kiss.

I gave Aragorn and Amras their gifts at the same time. They opened them up and discovered they each had received five throwing knives. "Those are throwing knives, similar to the what I gave Elrohir. Their versatility is welcome because you can use them as a dagger or hide them strapped to your body. Then if you are ever stripped of your weapons you have some back-up." They both gave thanks and hugs for the gifts.

Finally, it was Elladan's turn. He raised his eyebrows at me as I turned towards him. "And to think you may have forgotten about me, Sofia."

"I did actually. I picked your gift up at the market when I had to get some change." I winked at him and handed him a box.

Elladan mock glared at me and started to open his box. He pulled out a medium sized laptop and gave me a bewildered look. "Everyone else gets elegant weapons and I get this?" He laughed. "Sofia, your culture is quite strange indeed."

I clucked my tongue at him and opened the laptop and turned it on. "This, my dear, is a computer. In my world it is extremely common. Of course, it is a device that requires electricity. Electricity is harnessed power and was first discovered when a scientist was able to harness the power from lightning. I know y'all don't have electricity but you do have sun. This computer is solar-powered. If you let it sit in the sun for several hours each day it will stay charged and work."

My friends gasped around me as the computer powered up showing a bright picture of me standing in front of the Roman Coliseum on the desktop. I grinned at Elladan. "I thought a picture of me coupled with a famous ancient piece of architecture would be good for you to look at every day."

I went on to open up iTunes and scrolled through the files. "Since you keep mocking my culture I thought I would give you something that showcased it. These are all my favorite songs from different world regions. There are also couple *plays* that have been recorded and are famous where I come from; including Love Actually, all three Star Wars films, and Gladiator. One is a romance, three are science-fiction, and the last one is a action film." I couldn't wait to watch Love Actually with Elladan. The plotline between Colin Firth's British character and the Portuguese maid reminded me of our cultural and language barriers. I clicked the mouse and started to play the salsa song we had first danced to by La India. "This way I can share my culture with you and maybe you can stop making fun of me.

"This is incredible! This device is amazing!" Elladan handed the laptop to Aragorn and pulled me into his lap. "Thank you, Sofia. I am looking forward to figuring out more about you and your culture." He brushed his lips lightly against mine and I was so happy I had spent so much money on his gift. Who needs money when you have a very good-looking elf looking at you like this?

We all spent some time perusing the items on the laptop until my thoughts began to wonder. I reclined against Elladan's leg as he sat on the bench and I on the ground. His fingers caressed my scalp and ran through my curls as I snuggled closer. I closed my eyes and mind to the world around me and focused on the feel of his hands in my hair. My scalp tingled from where his fingers trailed and tension escaped from my shoulders. It was a delicious feeling and I knew from now on I was always going to leave my hair down in front of him.

Vi's voice broke through my thoughts. "I know that earlier Lady Galadriel was speaking of the vampire Thuringwethil and how she was destroyed by an elf but I was curious how."

"That is a great question, Vi." Elrohir gestured towards Arwen. "Perhaps my sister could sing the Lay of Lúthien to us all; her voice is rated even more lovely than the sweet pitches of the morning birds."

"Of course. I would be glad to but I do not know the Westron translation. I have only before sung in Sindarin."

"Oh, Arwen, I would love to hear you sing. Please sing it for us regardless." Vi looked eager at the opportunity.

Arwen began a lilting and haunting tune. Her voice was ethereal and his word spilled from her mouth like smoothly spun silk. While I had no idea what she said I was completely enraptured.

When she was finished Vi asked her to translate. Elrohir stepped in to tell the story.

"Elladan, Arwen, and I are actually descendents of Lúthien. She was half Maia and half elf who fell in love with a mortal man named Beren. Her father demanded that he bring back one of the prized Silmarils, the great jewels of the elves, if he wanted her hand in marriage. To her father, the King Thingol, it was outrageous that he should give up her daughter to a mortal man. The quest for the Silmaril was fraught with danger and despair. At one point Lúthien went with Huan, the Hound of Valinor, to Sauron's fortress to rescue Beren. At that point the two fought against Sauron and Thuringwethil and the latter died while Sauron escaped."

I tried to wrap my brain around that. "Whoa! So you guys are part god?" Everyone laughed while Aragorn jokingly told me to not massage their ego anymore than need be.

Arwen explained. "Yes, we are descendents of the Maia named Melian by six generations."

"That's… Kinda crazy." I looked up at Elladan and realized I had a great being stroking my hair. "You guys seem kind of normal to be part Maia."

Elladan laughed, bent down, and kissed my brow. "Do not trouble yourself over it Sofia. It is a part of us but does not mean we are any different than what you know of us."

I nodded, although a part of me still felt freaked out.

Vi continued with her questions. "What happened between Lúthien and Beren? Did the King allow them to marry?"

Elrohir continued the tale. "The King allowed Beren to take Lúthien as his bride but he died in battle. Lúthien pleaded before Mandos, the Valar who oversees the Halls of the Dead and moved him so deeply he asked Manwe, the leader of the Valar, to aid the two lovers. Manwe could not grant Beren immortality because the gift of Eru Iluvatar to Men was death. Instead he offered Lúthien the opportunity to become mortal, to live out her life with Beren, and be reunited with him in the afterlife. Of course, but doing so she rejected living out her life with her immortal family and was denied to reunite with them in Valinor, where all elves go one they tire of living in these lands."

"That's so romantic! But why would she not be able to reunite with her family in Valinor?" Vi , always the romantic, was intensely interested.

"Valinor is the home of the Valar and is the ultimate resting place for the elves. No others are permitted and upon their death the fëa of mankind are separated into another place."

"Well that doesn't seem fair! Why can't everyone all be together?" I was baffled by this concept. "That's like Jim Crow segregation; heaven shouldn't be like that."

Elrohir arched an eyebrow. "That is the way of the world. Who are we to judge the Valar for their decisions?"

I grumbled and Vi continued her questions. "So can all elves do that and become mortal?"

"No. However, the descendents of Lúthien can make that decision. But only Lúthien and our father's brother, Elros, have made that decision." Elrohir kept his sentence short and I glanced at Arwen. Our conversation in the wagon came back to me. She didn't want to talk about Aragorn because she didn't know what would happen… Clearly this must be the decision on her mind.

I couldn't help but ask more; even if I wasn't sure I wanted to know. "Why don't more of your family choose this?"

Elladan hesitated in the stroking of my hair and I felt a tension enter the atmosphere. Elrohir gave me a hard look and answered my question. "Because to give up a connection to your people and be separated from your family forever is a not a decision to be taken lightly, Sofia, if at *all*."

"That's enough, brother. This topic has grown tiresome, let us speak of something different." came Elladan's voice from behind me.

"You all may continue talking, but I think I must leave for bed." Arwen stood elegantly up and radiated aggravation, most likely at Elrohir. The rest of our party followed until only Elladan, Elrohir, and I were left.

Turning to look at Elrohir I gave him a penetrating look. "Okay, Elrohir, I get that you are not happy with me. I'd prefer if you stopped being passive-aggressive and just told me what was on your mind."

Elladan put a hand on my shoulder to calm me and spoke softly to his twin. "Please, Elrohir."

Elrohir's face blanked but his eyes were lit with an internal blaze. "While you two attempted to have secret meetings I knew that Elladan was spending time with you. But I said nothing because I thought that my brother was just enjoying himself lightly. As a twin, however; I know what my brother feels and I cannot remain silent." He straightened on the bench. "Arwen and Estel are betrothed and will marry once he reclaims his rightful place. As much as I love her I know she is already lost to me and my family for she will choose mortality when the day comes. But I will not allow my twin brother to be lost to me as well! I see that his feelings for you deepen but nothing good can come of this relationship."

Elrohir gestured to me. "You are from another world and I can see your heart remains there. You will never stay here. Not to mention, you are mortal and I cannot lose my beloved brother to mortality as well. Besides myself, it will be a crushing blow to my father. At the very least you will leave my brother broken-hearted"

Now Elladan stood up and stood face-to-face against his brother. He jaw tightened and I could see his shoulders were tense beneath his ivory tunic. "Elrohir! You have not right to say these things to her!"

"I say them not just to her, but you as well! What in the heavens are you thinking, brother? You are allowing yourself to feel too deeply for her and risk everything! Is that what you desire; to be separated from father and I and to never join mother in Valinor?"

I stood up and held up my hands. "Whoa! Stop right now! No one is talking about us getting married or Elladan giving up his immortality for me. We have known each other for less than three weeks. This is-", I huffed loudly, "crazy talk!"

"I wish it was crazy talk, Sofia, but already I can see my brother's fëa beginning to connect with yours." A tear silently escaped from Elrohir's eye.

I stilled, startled at that statement. Elladan took his brother in his arms and whispered to him in elvish in a comforting manner. My heart pained at the sight of those two identical forms holding each other. I did not realize that my burgeoning relationship with Elladan was causing a rift in their relationship. I admired how their identical raven strands seemed to mesh together as they held each other cheek to cheek. All of a sudden I felt like an intruder on this private moment. What was I thinking? Trying to date an elf? *I'm* the crazy one!

My feet silently crept away when Elladan called after me. "Sofia! Don't leave now. Please wait."

I turned my head to look at him. His eyes were beseeching but his Elrohir's were dark and cold.

"Really, its ok Elladan. I'm tired and it seems like you two could use some brother bonding."

I ignored whatever he said next and focused on following the path to my talan. My hands were rubbed my stomach where sharp pangs of nerves and apprehension dwelled. I felt a sense of dread as I took in what had just happened. Everything seemed to be moving so fast and I had no idea how serious things were becoming. The pain in Elrohir's eyes as he spoke of losing his brother kept haunting me. What a horrible person I am to make Elrohir that sad.

The very concept of me beginning a relationship with an immortal elf was already ludicrus but I had mistakenly put that thought to the side and just focused on Elladan. I was a fool for doing so. It was obvious we should not be together, no matter what I think I may feel. Elrohir was right. There was no way I could forsake my home for Middle-Earth and no way that Elladan should leave his family. Maybe I don't know if our relationship would ever progress to the level that a discussion like that would be needed, but what was the point of continuing it if one or both of us ended up with a broken heart?

I put on my 'resolve face.' It was time to let logic rule and to discontinue this foolish attempt at a relationship.

-------------------

A/N:

Most beloved readers, I would appreciate a moment of your time for some feedback. What are you thinking? Feel free to let it all out, just like Elrohir!

Sai: .org/wiki/Sai_(weapon)

Shuriken : .org/wiki/Shuriken

Dirk: .org/wiki/Dirk

Tessen: .org/wiki/Tessen

The Tale of Luthien & Beren: .


	34. Spies in the Woods

**Chapter 34: Spies in the Woods**

The golden leaves of the woods were just beginning to brighten as the rising sun speckled light on them through the multitude of branches canvassing the forest canopy. I extended my right leg forward slowly as I sought to focus within myself through the meditation exercises Vi and I were performing. Both of us were clad in thin cotton yoga pants and a sports bra in a secluded part of the forest that was near enough to Caras Galadhon but far enough to give us peace.

Peace was something I was fervently looking for since the events of the previous night. After the confrontation with Elrohir I spent a couple hours wandering in the woods before going to sleep in the talan Vi and I shared. My friend was fast asleep by then, as I had intended, so we had not discussed the confrontation.

I had pondered on the situation throughout the course of my night time meanderings and kept coming to two conclusions. One: that I needed to end my romantic ties to Elladan because a relationship with an immortal elf from another dimension is just not feasible. Two: that while my mind may determine that is a good course to take, my heart wasn't very fond of the idea.

But I stilled these thoughts and began to refocus on centering myself. Extending my senses outward I could feel the steady beating of my heart, the tension in my arm muscles as I held form for several minutes, and the sweet taste of morning as it entered my mouth and carried its way to my lungs. The slightest breeze ran its fingers through my hair that swung freely from its ponytail and I shivered in spite of myself as I involuntarily imagined it was the fingers of Elladan.

Immediately I concentrated on maintaining my meditative breathing and the feel of the soft blades of grass under my bare feet. I quelled my innermost worries and opened up my senses to the world. With the coming of the sunrise brought the beginning of daily activity in the city. To my right I could hear the burgeoning chatter of voices as the ellith and ellyn prepared breakfast or other morning chores. Farther behind me the wind carried the neighing of the stable horses that seemed ready for a breakfast of their own. Morning birds delivered the news among the animals of the forest through their high, clear songs. All in all the city was peaceful and it was a wonderful experience to realize how much of that peace was due to the lack of industrialized society. The harsh sounds of car motors or morning television created an atmosphere of chaos like back home.

My closed eyes opened quickly when Vi said, 'Sofia, looks like we have some fans in the stand." She smiled and only slightly indicated with a tip of her head to my right. Interesting no matter how aware I am the stealth of the elves can still surpass my skills. I really must look into that secret of theirs.

Looking to where she pointed I realized it wasn't just elf stealth that sneaked by. Elladan, Amras, and Aragorn were watching us intently fifty feet away. I ended my form and brought my arms to cross over my chest, quite aware that my sports bra wasn't the most conservative outfit. I sensed Vi felt similarly since her cheeks heated up lightly.

"Yes?" I asked haughtily. I mentally steeled myself from noticing how the sunlight lit a blue highlight in Elladan's gorgeous midnight hair.

Aragorn played spokesman for the group. "Forgive us for trespassing but we were meant to summon you to breakfast with the Lord and Lady. We were rather enraptured by the grace of your moves and curious as to what activity you are performing."

I looked to Vi to answer. My plan was to limit the amount of talking I did. For if I did not speak often than I would hopefully not speak something to Elladan that I would later regret. Okay, okay, it wasn't a very good plan but my brain was having a hard time strategizing.

"It's a meditative technique we employ often in our Slayer training. Sofia and I already did our preliminary exercises for the day and prefer to end our time with meditation. "She smiled shyly and I saw an intrigued expression come over Amras' face; I mused if it was regarding her or a new training technique.

"That sounds quite interesting Vi. I would enjoy learning some of those techniques in order to use with the men." Amras gave Vi a bright smile and I knew my former idea was the correct one. Subtlety, I doubt either of them saw it, I saw Aragorn raise his eyebrow slightly at me. I smirked and knew my plans to hook Vi up with someone was progressing nicely.

We walked over to them and I made sure to maintain a good distance between Elladan and I. His grey eyes tried to capture mine for a silent communication but I cleverly evaded his eyes. I'm a strong believer that looking into a person's eyes is the way to look into their soul and I did not desire him to know me at the moment.

"Well, thanks for letting us know guys. Vi and I should bathe before breakfast or else we may smell as bad as you Dunedain," I joked. Both Dunedain gave me scornful looks and Aragorn tried to open his mouth to speak but I silenced him with a wave of my hand. "C'mon, you all smelled pretty bad when you first found me.'

"Yes, our apologies that we did not get a chance to bathe before we found you. Next time a strange girl falls from a portal we will certainly bathe in rose-scented water prior to that." We laughed and before the moment ended I started to drag Vi back to the talan in hopes of putting off talking to Elladan.

Evading an elf is not a simple task, however. Like a flash of lightning too close to hear the thunder, he was beside me. "Sofia, please wait. I was hoping we could speak before breakfast."

I refused to look him in the eyes and instead focused on my mouth. Ugh, those were far too sensual looking. Chin. Okay, I'll focus on the chin. That's easy enough. "Actually, I'm afraid we do not have much time. Perhaps later?"

He started to counter but I quickly wheeled Vi and I past. "See you guys later!"

"Yeah…Bye," Vi added in a hesitant and confused voice. She started to ask a question but I gave her a 'look' because I knew elven hearing was sensitive.

Once we got to the springs where the females bathed she began a barrage of questions regarding the tension she felt between Elladan and I. In a monotonous voice that betrayed no emotion I recited the events of last night while she listened intently.

As soon as I was done she stammered indignant comments. "I cannot believe Elrohir would try to mess things up with you and his brother. I mean, why would he try to get Elladan worried about future things like going to that Valinor place and laying on the guilt trip. That seems so unfair, Sof." Her emerald eyes looked at me with sympathy and I submerged my head into the water in order to rinse my hair; and to avoid looking at her.

I came up and took a deep breath. "Actually, Vi, its okay. Elrohir had some really good points. I wasn't thinking when it came to Elladan, which was my first mistake. An immortal elf is not a good rebound.'

Vi pursed her lips and gave me a hard look. "Ah, so he's just a rebound?"

My eye twitched, an unfortunate incident that occurs in times of stress. "Well, that's not the point!"

She continued the look and I could feel her trying to peel back my layers of protection. Vi could be pretty intense when she felt the need to. "So he's not a rebound?" she inquired.

"Oh bloody, bleeding hell Vi! I don't know." She raised an eyebrow. "Okay, he's not a rebound. I've had rebounds in past years, before Erik. My feelings for him are definitely something more. But," I emphasized, "long term it's a bad idea. So why continue something fun when it will only result in tragedy and already has resulted in issue with his brother?"

We got up, toweled off, dressed, and began walking. "So you're going to stop with the smoochy time just because you're afraid things might get rough in the future?"

A sudden twinge of annoyance resulted in a glare towards her. "Vi! This is not some fairytale. I know you love your romance books," before she could deny it I clarified, "Oh hush, I've seen some of the items on your bookshelf. But this is the real world, if you can call it that," I motioned towards the towering tree city. "Elladan is over 2,000 years old, an elf and part heavenly god creature, an imposing warrior, knowledge beyond my comprehension, and he's immortal whereas I would grow old. Or, God forbid, he would give up his immortality like his sister will and be separated from his family forever." I was reveling in my rant and continued. "Not to mention there is no way on earth I could leave my family, both biological and slayer, and there is not way he could leave his world. We have no future and I don't," I bit off, "want a future with him. I don't need that hanging over my head."

I was so focused on my rant as Vi and walked up the path that I did not notice a spy was in our midst. My heart literally leaped into my throat as an angered Elladan stepped out behind a tree. His beautiful face had turned dark with furrowed eyebrows, a frown that seemed to twist his fine features, and he was visibly shaking. I was shocked and forgot to breathe for a moment as my tunnel vision focused only on Elladan. Vi left without me even noticing her departure.

"El-" my words died on my tongue as he strode towards me and left only a foot in between our bodies. My stomach twisted in nervousness and I felt guilt wash over my spirit that Elladan heard me say those things. I meant to soften it up for the moment he did corner me.

Elladan took a deep breath and I could see him try to harness some of that elven calm. "Sofia." It was a statement but in that one word I could sense an array of wrestling emotions within him: anger, confusion, and pain.

I averted his eyes, still too scared to look into them. "Sofia. Did you mean what you told your friend?"

Within me I found my anger at the situation and wrapped it around me like an impenetrable__cloak. "Excuse me, but were you spying on me? What the hell gives you the right to listen in on a private conversation I have with my close friend?" I folded my arms protectively against myself and stared upwards defiantly.

He scoffed and folded his own arms. "It was not my intention to spy; I was on the way back to my talan to pick up something when I heard your voice. I only meant to try to talk to you again since you seem clear on ignoring me when I heard you speaking of me to Vi."

I made a frustrated sound. "Okay, so you admit to spying on me."

If I wasn't so emotionally messed up at the moment I would have otherwise enjoyed the way his face was screwed up as he sputtered a response. "Wh-What? No, no. I was not spying. You are being such a child, Sofia!"

I turned away from him and threw up my arms. "Good, now it starts. Of course I must seem like such a child compared to your many years."

Elladan pulled me forcibly towards him. "Don't you start, Sofia. You clearly know that wasn't what I meant. Is this your desire, to turn towards me in anger so we will stop talking? Because you do not want a future with me?"

I lost my battle and I ended up looking into his eyes. At once they were hardened but were lit by a sadness that I did not want to acknowledge. I bit my lip and took the fifth on that question.

He bit his own lip in anger and I could see a slight drop of blood creep out of the wound. "Perhaps not you, but I am the foolish one. For I came here to apologize for my brother's actions and it appears my intentions are unnecessary since you do not value me anyways."

Taking a shaky breath, I debated what to say. Do I say yes, just so we can make a clean break? But could I bear to know that sadness that seeped into his grey eyes was the result of my actions?

"Honestly Elladan, I never said I do not value you! Don't be so tonto."

"Right. So you not desiring a future with me has nothing to do with the lack of value you place upon me?" His eyes remained sad but also stared at me in a beseeching manner.

My anger at this situation washed back upon me like the high tide washing further inshore upon a beach. "For a guy who's been around for a long time, you sure can be thick! It's obviously a bad idea to continue a relationship that cannot go anywhere! And since you spied on me, you know exactly what I am already talking about. We have no future and its better to cut things off now after only a couple weeks."

"Sofia…I understand what my brother said last night was upsetting, for all of us. But I back down from nothing, regardless of what obstacles may lay before me."

I snorted. "Right, we have only minor obstacles. You know, some couples have issues because of their job schedules or money, but us? We sure have some hella crazy obstacles."

"So?" His grey eyes pieced my own and I had to fight not to lose myself. "Sofia, I have thought about us throughout the night and took no spare moment for sleep. I do not possess the gift of foresight and cannot guarantee that no pain will befall us if we continue our relationship. But I know in my heart that pain will befall me if I cannot be with you. Our time has been short thus far but it has been far sweeter than I would have deemed possible. You cannot deny we have a strong connection; and there is no way my fëa could deal with that conenction to be severed now."

My feet backed away slowly without concious thought. "Elladan, please," I whimpered. I closed my eyes and tried to block his presence out. I could feel my resolve cracking with his moving words. Like a little girl whose mother told her everything would be okay, I wanted to believe Elladan when he said we should remain together.

I felt his large hand take hold of my own. "Sofia." I looked up and our eyes met. "I feel that both of us must continue to explore our connection, our relationship. When I am with you my heart is lightened from the heaviness years of battle have formed. I see you take comfort in our time together as well. Regardless of your fears about our differences, I urge you not to turn from me now."

His touch, his words, his eyes were all making me dizzy. My emotions were a wild tornado in my heart and my mind was befuddled on how to respond to Elladan. I sighed, took a deep breath, and opened my mouth to speak.

-------------

Tonto (Spanish): silly or fool or stupid; not a real harsh word


	35. Que Sera, Sera

**Chapter 35: ****Que ****Será Será**

I felt his large hand take hold of my own. "Sofia." I looked up and our eyes met. "I feel that both of us must continue to explore our connection, our relationship. When I am with you my heart is lightened from the heaviness years of battle have formed. I see you take comfort in our time together as well. Regardless of your fears about our differences, I urge you not to turn from me now."

His touch, his words, his eyes were all making me dizzy. My emotions were a wild tornado in my heart and my mind was befuddled on how to respond to Elladan. I sighed, took a deep breath, and opened my mouth to speak.

"Elladan," I leaned my right hand against his heart, "this is crazy. You do realize that?"

He smiled gently and cupped my chin as a tremor ran through my body. "Crazy is not necessarily bad."

"No. Well, yes. It is." I blew out a deep breath. "Last night at my talan you said you saw pain in my eyes from the past.I know I haven't been very forthcoming about my past with you but let's just say I've got issues. I'm damaged. Trust me on that. I am not someone you should be with." Once again I stared at his chin; unable to look in his eyes.

"Hush." He smoothed my hair back from my eyes. "Do you think I am perfect?"

I gave him a wry grin. My terrible sense of comedic timing was dying to crack on that statement but I gave him my honest opinion. "Well, you're gorgeous, a kick-ass fighter, fairly," I threw in my one crack, "intelligent, and your descended from some really important people… So, pretty much, yeah."

Elladan gave me a small smile. "Well you can trust _me_ when I say I am not perfect. I too, as you call them, have some of my own issues; things that lurk in the dark depths of my soul. Not to mention, other traits that I am sure you will eventually discover and find unappealing."

In spite of myself I grinned. "Really, what sorts of unappealing traits?"

"Nuh-uh. I cannot just give away all my secrets." My mouth set in a pout and I gave him a look. "Fine, if you must know one trait I posess that I am not entirely pleased with is my problem with jealousy."

"Jealousy?"

Elladan gave me a disgruntled look. "Must I spell everything out for you, Sofia?" I shrugged and nodded. "You are the cause of my jealousy. I cannot help the fire you bring out in me when I see you spending time with Haldir or some of the other elves or Dunedain."

I was kind of taken aback. I knew there was that moment he found me in bed with Haldir but I did not realize the level of intensity. "I had no idea," I confessed.

"Well, it certainly isn't something I enjoy professing. I know that its an unattractive trait but I abhor the looks some of the men give you." He shrugged. "As you can see, I am not perfect by any means."

Back to the original topic. "Ok, so you are not perfect but I'm still damaged. I don't know if I'm ready for this: to deal with these feelings for you as I recover from what happened last year and all those extranous issues that affect us." I sighed in frustration. "Its just too complicated!"

Elladan grabbed my hips and drew me close. "Dear Sofia, you are overthinking. Let me uncomplicate it for you. I like you." He drew close to me hair and inhaled. "I enjoy basking in the scent of your hair." He trailed his fingers from my chin down my neck and across my clavicle. "I enjoy the soft touch of your skin." Gentle lips brushed against mine. "I enjoy your sweet taste." I grinned and he smiled back. "I enjoy the ability to make you smile. For me its like the excitement of the night sky when it meets the brilliant light of the sunrise."

"Mind you," he continued, "I have sensitive elven senses. So to further simplify this problem, not only do I like you, but you enjoy me as well; judging from your racing heartbeat and quickened breathing."

I scowled. I did not appreciate being read so easily, even if it was true.

"Therefore, Sofia, I believe we have simplified our problem. As for the solution, what will you choose."

Grey eyes gave me a piercing gaze and I was speechless for a moment as I truly thought about everything he had said. "My solution…My choice…" I smiled shyly. "Its you."

Elladan's reaction made it all worth it. His smile seemed to light up my entire world but before I could take further notice of his looks his lips were on mine and he kissed me with an eagerness I had not yet experienced with him. The kiss felt stronger and seemed to strike upon my very soul with feeling. I was afraid I may have reacted like a girl from a Jane Austen novel and swooned had he not held me.

"Queserá será," I whispered.

"What does that mean?"

"Whatever will be, will be." I leaned forward and brushed his lips lightly with my own.

"So," he murmered, "no more of you trying to evade me or purposely anger me"

'Well, no to the former and no more than before to the latter." His eyes twinkled in amusement and he tightened his grip on me.

"And from now on, do you promise to talk things through with me before making any drastic decisions?"

I rolled my eyes because I knew I was not the most communicative person when it came to feelings. "I will try." Elladan raised an eyebrow at me. "Okay, I will talk to you first. And do you promise to talk to your brother? I really don't like the idea of him hating me."

Elladan swayed back and forth while holding me. "I spoke to him last night already. This may not be something he can appreciate overnight. We have always done everything together and rarely spend time apart. I know he has an issue with what the future holds in store with me but I hope he will come around. He did feel bad about hurting both of us last night with his sharp words but I do not believe he regrets it."

Shrugging, I replied. "Truth be told, he had a lot of points on things I hadn't thought or known about. I really cannot be mad at him for that. But," I gave Elladan a quick kiss, "queserá será and all that jazz."

"To use your American phrase, so what now?"

I giggled at Elladan's use of slang phrase. "You're the all powerful, wise elf. Shouldn't you know these things?"

Elladan gave me a deadpan look. "Trust me, Sofia. You unfortunately have the ability to make me feel like an uncoordinated elfing again. My years of wisdom seem to fly out the window."

I smirked at him. "Maybe we should go to breakfast first and then just take things from there."

"As you wish." Elladan pulled me in for a another spellbinding kiss that left me breathless and then started to lead me by the hand to the where the Lord and Lady dined. I swear, I think he gave me those kind of 'wow!' kisses just because of how amusing my breathless stumbling would be afterwards. Cheeky elf.

*******************************************************************************

Elladan and I received curious glances from our friends at breakfast but the main topic was planning on tactics for defeating Mavlar in order to prevent the rise of Thuringwethil. I was always more of a kill first and plan later kind of gal so I did not feel of much use to the discussion. Back home I often was sent to lead teams of slayers to combat demonic disturbances around the world but I disliked sitting around for too long to talk about fighting, compared with actually doing so. My strengths were in my battle skill and research. With my knowledge of languages I enjoyed translating ancient texts in my spare time (yeah, I know. Kind of a strange hobby for a twenty-something).

Luckily, Vi was more of a strategist so I was glad she was along. That girl was a planning queen and loved drawing everything down to the most minute detail. Not my cup of tea, but then again she thought I was weird for my love of dusty foreign books from the third century.

Aragorn made the preliminary report. "As decided last night, two teams of elves and Dunedain will be leaving after breakfast to scout the area for Mavlar. While we know he had a nearby base where he held Sofia we can assume he is gone from there by now. Nontheless, one team will look for the base between the point of Sofia's capture and the down the river where she escaped. It is hoped they will find clues of some sort. The second team will head east towards the Dark Lord to search for clues to Mavlar's whereabouts. We hope between the two teams travelling on horseback to have a location in a fortnight's time."

While he had introduced himself as Gandalf I discovered the elves and Dunedain often called him Mithrandir. This was how Aragorn addressed him now. "Mithrandir, what counsel can you give us for defeating this sorcerer being?"

Gandalf toyed with his grey streaked beard and was lost in a great look of concentration. "The question is, Aragorn, is what can you all give to defeat Sauron's plan?"

Amras' lip twitched and he softly muttered, "One can never expect a wizard to do anything but answer a question with another question."

Gandald raised one long, feathered grey eyebrow. "Indeed, one cannot. For how can the sapling grow if it does not learn how to extend its roots deeper into the the earth?"

Vi spoke up then, which wasn't surprising. While she may still have shy tendencies when it came to new people this was her arena. Through and through, she was a a warrior of strength and cunning. "We have two elements of fighting to prepare for. With Mavlar we must be able to ward off his evil magicks in order to get in a killing blow. Likely he will be surrounded by orcs or other dark beings and we will need enough warriors to conquer them. At the same time we must plan ahead and be prepared for any tricks. It is possible that James the Master Vampire may already be with Mavlar at the time of our attack. If that is indeed the case, we will need fierce warriors because while I may have never fought a Master vampire I know them to have powers surpassing their kind."

"In what ways, Vi?" Elrohir took a sip of his herbal tea and looked at her in interest.

"Their strength and speed is greatly increased. Additionally, they may posses the ability to manipulate minds, to move objects with the power of their thoughts, and the ability to do magick. Each one is different, so I do not know what powers James may posses. Are there any among you have the ability to weild the magickal forces or can resist mind manipulation?"

"Ay," answered Haldir. "All elves are creatures who posses some magic, by our very nature. We're often resistent to the magics of others but with each elf do the gifts vary."

"Unfortunately, Mavlar has already tricked us once with his magic when his fog allowed him to confuse us and take Sofia." Arwen shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows how well we can handle him?"

"Its too bad Willow couldn't come. She'd be able to wipe the floor with that guy," I murmured.

"Why could she not come," inquired Elladan.

"We need her to open the portal in case anything goes wrong. I would not want to rely on someone else to get us home."

"Oh! Someone else!" I could see the wheels turning in Vi's head. "We may need Willow to maintain our link back home but surely we could get Dawn to come."

"Dawn!" I frowned and shook my head. "No way, Vi. Dawn is still pretty untested as a witch. I don't know if that would work."

'Who is Dawn?" asked Amras.

Vi explained. "Dawn works with us against the bad guys. She's been a practicing witch for at least three years under Willow. She really has gotten quite good. Often she's come to where I'm stationed in Cleveland to help us out."

"Still, this is pretty dangerous. I don't know about her skills versus Mavlar." I bit my lip in worry.

"No, trust me Sofia. I think she can help us at the level we need her. Some protective spells and some counteractive spells. It'll be a piece of cake for her."

I was reluctant to agree but could tell Vi was feeling strong on the issue. Besides, its not like we had many other choices. "Okay, lets try it. How are you going to get her here?"

"Willow said she'd do some regular dreamwalking each night to touch base. I'll let her know tonight.'

"What is dreamwalking? Does your friend actually posess the ability to communicate via dreams?" Gandalf wide eyes indicated he was quite interested in the topic.

"Yup. Don't ask me how she does it, but she does. Its pretty cool for us she can reach us in this dimension as well."

"Remarkable. Quite remarkable. She must be talented indeed."

"Like I always say, if there's a Will there's a way," I quipped. Vi shook her head since she'd heard my lame remark before. Luckily my new audience appreciated it, by the sounds of their snorts and laughs.

"As we were saying regarding our plans," Aragorn motioned for us to get back on track. "I motion that we prepare a team to go in after Mavlar so they are ready as soon as the scouts return. This team will spend the time until then strategizing and training for battle."

"Excellent plan, brother." Elladan nodded his head in agreement. "Who shall be on this team and who will lead?"

"I propose a unit of 50 is prepared with twenty core members if we decide the mission requires stealth. Surely the team will consist of the Dunedain who are already here. As for the elves, I leave that all to you to decide."

"Elrohir and I will be with the you as always."

"With the Lady and Lord's permission, I offer my service and I am sure my brother Rumil will join me. I hesitate to offer Orophin as he will be wed tomorrow."

Everyone was looking around the room as people offered their services. "I will certainly be there," Vi smiled.

"And duh! Of course I'll be there. You know I love a good fight." I gave a wickedly disarming smile.

A smile was visible through Aragorn's scruffy beard. "How quickly life changes. To think when we first spoke of this issue you made an outcry and left the lunch table. What has changed, mellon-nin?"

I could sense Aragorn was fishing. Arwen wasn't here but I wonder if they had talked about Elladan and I. "My perspective," I replied cryptically. Ha, let them all wonder at it. Damn elves and company could be nosier than my Tia Alicia.

Gandalf cleared his throat. "Then, for now, we have come to a conclusion. Let us end this meeting now and prepare for what is to come."


	36. Its Not a Cage Fight but Its Not Bad

**Chapter 36: Its Not a Cage Fight but its Not Bad**

Vi and I were stretching out in the training clearing for the Galadhrim warriors. We certainly looked out of place as the only two women in our gym shorts and work-out tanks, compared to the fancy tunics and leggings of our comrades. Even though I had been in Middle-Earth for several weeks there were still moments I found myself staring at the elves and Dunedain and their strange apparel.

I snickered. "Vi, is it just me or does it feel like we're at a Renaissance fair?" Throughout the clearing about thirty men and elves were sparring in hand to hand combat or swords while others practiced archery.

Laughter peeled out of her as she took in the area. "Ooh, maybe we should get some vegetables to throw at anyone who performs badly with their sparring? Wouldn't it be a sight to see any of these guys covered in tomatoes?"

The mental image of Elladan or Haldir covered with tomatoes and red juice running through their beloved locks had me laughing until my sides hurt. "Imagine them trying to maintain their elven dignity while being pelted with grocery products! I can so see them maintaining their calm even with tomato juice dripping down their face."

"Oh my God, you know who would love it here, right?" she asked eagerly. I shrugged; unsure of whom she'd say.

"Andrew!" Andrew, who Willow and I had joked about before I got lost in Middle-Earth, was a Watcher and an avid geek.

Immediately we were both lying on the floor laughing our asses off. I had to struggle to add, "he always chooses to be a night elf in World of Warcraft! He would probably attack all these guys with his video camera!"

Vi wiped some tears from her eyes. "Or attack them himself!" None of us were sure of Andrew's sexuality but he was drawn to mystical things and I think both of us could see him hitting on the beautiful, long-haired elven men.

After a few minutes of laughing (once one of us would begin to quiet the other would start back up again and so on) we finally sat up and took in a deep breath. She grinned at me. "I think that was well needed."

"For sure. Nothing like talking for hours about battle strategy to create a need for laughter."

"Are you ladies actually going to train today or sit around and giggle like young ellith?" Haldir teased. I looked behind me to see him staring at us with an amused expression on his face.

"Damn straight we're ready to train!" I shot him a dirty look.

To the side of Haldir were several elves watching us. One muttered something to elvish in his friends and they began laughing. My prickling spider sense told me they were definitely laughing at us, judging by the glances they stole at us.

I shot up like a missile. "Hal, what did you fellow pointy-eared brethren have to say?"

His eyebrows furrowed with worry. "I don't believe I heard them."

"With your elven ears, I doubt it," I scoffed.

He gestured towards them reluctantly. "Bregolien mentioned to the others that, uh, he found the idea of two small adanith, which means women, fighting alongside us to be, well, um, laughable." His next words came out in a rush. "And perhaps he said something about it was foolish to have you with us because your inferiority would only delay us."

"What?!" Vi and I chorused.

Haldir lifted his hands up in surrender and seemed uncomfortable with his role as the middleman (or would that be middleelf?) between us and his warden brethren.

Angry, I strode over to Bregolien and jabbed my finger at him. "Who the hell do you think you are to think we are inferior just because we're women? You really think you're that much better than us just because your older and have pointy ears?" I could feel my face get hot and a slight tremor ran through me; when I get angry enough I can't help but shake slightly.

Bregolien seemed shocked by my gestures and tone. Obviously he understood none of my Westron because he gestured for Haldir to translate, which he did with a reluctant sigh. When Haldir was done relaying the information Bregolien eyed me up and down and then smirked. It took everything I had not to slap it off his face. I've gotten enough grief from arrogant males over my lifetime and I sure didn't need any more bullshit like that. Bregolien said something to Haldir and I looked expectantly at my friend to translate.

"My fellow warden says it is simply impossible for human females, especially one as small as yourself, to be capable of fighting on a level like ours. He went on to mention that it would be preferable, that if you wanted to help the real warriors, to polish the armor." Haldir gave me a pained look and I realized we had managed to draw a crowd.

Vi and I shared a glance. It was so angering it was almost laughable that this Bregolien dude did not consider us real warriors. Ass.

"Haldir," began Vi with a mischieveous glint in her eye, "if Bregolien thinks us so inferior perhaps he would allow us to test that presumption."

"Yes," I continued with her thought while Haldir translated quickly. "Bregolien and one of his buddies versus Vi and I. He can choose the method of combat and we will test each other. We'll draw a circle and the first pair pushed/kicked/thrown out of the ring loses."

The elves and men that understood Westron raised their eyebrows in disbelief and once Haldir translated the other elves followed suit. Haldir translated Bregolien's response. "He says 'you cannot be serious. It will be an impossible task for you both and he is afraid of hurting you."

Moving like lightning, I grabbed an arrow out of Bregolien's hand and threw it into the bull's eye of a target one hundred feet away. The crowd let out a noise of appreciation as I crossed my arms and glared at Bregolien. "You can let him know that if he fears us, he simply could have said that instead of wussing out on a sparring match."

Haldir took a gulp of air and translated. Bregolien's eyes flashed angrily and he retorted quickly. Haldir turned to me. "Bregolien has agreed and he will pair himself with Airion. The method of combat will be sword."

Giving my opponent a sweet smile I said, "Wonderful. We'll begin in fifiteen minutes since I'm sure the pretty boys will want some time to powder their noses and braid their hair first."

I heard some chuckles around us and Bregolien bristled at Haldir's translation.

I turned to Vi and smiled grimly. "As Ginger Spice would say-"

"Girl Power!" Vi finished.

The crowd disbursed and I saw Haldir order some of them to draw up our battle circle. Elladan came up to me and smiled. "You know, its interesting that besides a few previews I have never seen you fight yet."

My right eyebrow raised. "You better not be doubting me also."

"I know better than to doubt you. Quite honestly, I look forward to you fighting with those two. Airon is not a bad fellow but for an elf Bregolien can be quite arrogant and irksome." He gave me a quick peck on the cheek and murmured in my ear. "Be sure to- how do you say that? 'Kick their ass.'" He chuckled quietly and I was quite proud of my elf for utilizing my American slang.

Giving him a sly wink I responded, "You know it"

Vi and I grabbed our swords that we had brought from back home. Mine was a simple, polished steel katana made for me especially during a summer stint in Japan. Vi picked up hers from a demon in Cleveland and her sword was shorter, but curved slightly, and the handle was lined with jewels.

"Plan?" she questioned.

'Kick their ass," I answered.

"Good plan," she remarked with a wink.

"Hey, I'm proficient at planning occasionally."

Vi rolled her eyes. "In the three-word sentence variety, yes."

I laughed. "You got me on that. You know, it's a shame they haven't invented cage fighting yet. That would be way cooler than the circle thing."

Vi shook her head at me. "Looks like Willow's not the only closet wrestling fan!"

Haldir's voice rang out like a clear bell. "Gentlemen and," he made sure to nod at Vi and I, "Ladies. I will serve as the overseer of this match. The rules are simple. Bregolien and Airon versus the slayers Vi and Sofia. Once one's body lands past the border of the circle they are out. Final person remaining wins. Remember, this is a sparring match so keep the physical blows to the minimum."

The four of us stepped into the circle and bowed to each other. Both Bregolien and Airon has shining, long blond hair that had tints of silver. As with all elves they were tall but Bregolien's face was more unpleasant to behold than most of the handsome elves I had seen. It was perhaps due to his percieved personality but his lips were thin and his brows were thicker than normal so he appeared to be angry at all times. I could see why Bregolien chose Airon. The other elf was the tallest I had seen and had hair flowing past his waist. I remember being told you can tell an elf's age by the length of their hair so this dude was old. His muscles were clearly defined through his shirt and I could tell he'd be important to focus on.

We shifted and spread around the circle. The circle itself was about twenty-five feet in diameter and the other warriors sat around outside it like we were at a sumo match. I glanced at Vi and asked her who she wanted.

"The big guy, of course."

"Good, I personally want to wipe the smirk of the other one's face."

For a moment the four of us established our fighting stance and appraised the opposite side. The elves made the first move. Bregolien slashed his sword at me but it was tentative in nature and easy to dodge. I had to stifle a laugh because it reminded me of playing flag football in high school. There was maybe one other girl on my team and the opposing side was always so afraid to touch us so my role was to rush the quarterback each time. Without anyone stopping me on the first half dozen or so plays I was able to screw their side up a lot. Eventually the other guys realized treating me like a girl was making them lose so they'd toughen up eventually. But their chivalry was the chink in the armor I needed. Looks like this guy was the same way with his unimpressive gestures.

"Haldir, you should ask your friend what's the matter. He's fighting like a girl!" I could hear Aragorn's rumbly laughter admist the clear laughs of Elladan and the others. Bregolien's deep blue eyes sparked with anger and he leapt and brought his sword down hard at me. My sword reverberated against the impact of the tough elven made weapon but I held my ground. With my left leg I kicked Bregolien's knee backwards and he stumbled. I used the moment to my advantage and attempted to use leverage by hitting the lower end of his sword with mine. His strength ensured the sword stayed in his hands and we parried blows for a bit.

Stealing a glance at to my right I saw both of them fighting hand to hand. The were periously close to the edge of the circle and I kicked Bregolien back in order to give me a moment to watch them. They were grappling nose to nose when Airon grabbed Vi's wrist and threw her backwards out of the circle. I gasped but cheered when she grabbed onto his wrist and yanked him out with her. Gracefully she pulled Airon under her and landed on top of him outside the circle.

Caught up in the moment I hesitated when Bregolien's blade whistled through the air at me. In time I was able to block him with my sword but my beautiful katana made an ear-piercing noise and a fissure reupted in the middle. I gasped and with cheetah speed Bregolien slashed at that same spot in my sword again. With a resolute crack my baby split in two, leaving me holding the hilt with a jagged 6-inch slice of steel.

"_Puñeta_! I cannot believe you, _cabrón_! _Coño_! That was my favorite _espada_!" I was absolutely livid and used it to catapult my energy. When Bregolien came at me again with the sword I side stepped him and landed a kick right at his weapon wielding wrist. He groaned in pain and I threw a roundhouse kick to force him backwards. I grabbed his sword and mine and threw them out of the circle.

'_Mano a mano_,' I said with an evil smile. Bregolien responded with a determined look and threw a punch that I blocked with my elbow. We danced like that for a while and seemed to match up well enough in that category. That meant it was time to get creative.

He grabbed my left fist so I kneed him in the stomach roughly. He crumpled halfway down but still gripped my hand tightly so I kneed him against his chin as well. Bregolien's left leg extended outward and he sweeped against my ankles so I fell hard on my ass. Springing up quickly he clasped my wrists and began swinging me around in order to toss me out of the ring. As he released I grabbed the braid that ran down the center of his back and used it as leverage to stay in the ring. I almost felt bad when he winced at the pull against his scalp but there was no way I was going to lose. After all, WWGSS? As in, what would Ginger Spice say?

Letting go of his hair I tumbled away from the border and did a handspring forward. Like old time boxing rivals we eyed each other around the ring as we slowly paced around it. Finally, it seemed the patience of the elves is not as commonplace as one might expect because Bregolien rushed me. Instead of the blow I was expecting he threw his arms around me from behind in a clenching bear hug. The wind was knocked out of me and I realized the elf was going to set me out of the ring like yesterday's garbage.

Well. Fuck that.

I swung once to gain momentem and then completely flipped backwards forcing a surprised Bregolien to release his iron grip on me lest he twist his back in the process. Both of us landed on the ground and we jumped up. Time to finish this.

Bregolien reached out to grab my shoulders and I flipped him the necessary fifteen feet to throw him out of the circle. I could hear Vi cheer loudly and my more reserved friends do so with quiet enthusiasm.

Haldir announced the turn out of the battle. "The slayers win in both matches. While Vi and Airon came out of the ring at the same time Airon touched ground first making Vi the victor. Sofia is the victor in the second match flipping Bregolien out of the ring."

I walked over the Bregolien and extended my hand to help him up. I asked him with an arched brow, "Think we're warrior enough for you?"

Bregolien shared a look with Airon as Haldir translated again. Our two opponents shared something between the two and then Haldir translated Bregolien's comments. "In my many years I have not often needed to know how to extend an apology. However, while you appear to be petite and soft you have both proved that you possess strength, skill, and cunning. Forgive us both in our hasty judgement for we will be glad to fight by your side when we are called to do so."

"We accept your apology and hope that you have learned not everything is what it appears. As well, we too look forward to fighting with you both." Spokeperson Vi made the statement and while I most certainly agreed with her words, was it wrong that a small part of me wanted to jump up and down crying out, 'Ha! Told ya so!' ?

Each of us shook hands with the other and bowed. Vi and I turned away to walk back to our area. "Well, it wasn't a cage fight but overall not bad."

"Not bad at all my slayer-in-crime."

I knew our English translated as Westron but luckily Vi knew some Spanish (yay for being raised in Texas!) so I thought I could make one gloat-y comment. "_Ganamos_!" I sing-songed with a sly smile.

Vi grinned. "_Siempre_, _mi hermana_!"

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A/N:

Most beloved readers: As always THANK YOU for reading! I would love to hear of what you are thinking as Sofia's adventures in Middle-Earth progress. With each moment she comes closer to facing Mavlar, not to mention an old enemy will return to her life. Es muy emocionada, no? :)

"_Puñeta_! (Spanish)- fuck or 'oh fuck'!

_C__abrón_ (Spanish)- curse word; bastard or whatever you want

_Coño_ (Spanish) - dammit

_Espada_ (Spanish) - sword

_Mano a mano__ (_Spanish)- hand to hand

_Ganamos_(spanish)- We win

_Siempre_ (Spanish)- always

_M__i hermana_ (Spanish)- my sister


	37. Nothing Says Romance Like Shut Up

**Chapter 37: Nothing Says Romance Like "Shut Up"**

Scattered rays from the setting sun lit the path towards Elladan's and my secret rendezvous. As my feet crunched the grass underneath I smoothed my curls back for the millionth time. Since we had decided to continue our relationship this morning we made plans to have a 'date' (my words, not his) tonight. Away from the bustle of the elven city was this marvelous ancient tree with a trunk as wide as my car and strong branches that seemed to sprawl against the sky. That tree had been our secret rendezvous location when we first started seeing each other and was our destination tonight.

I was almost out of the city when one of my favorite elven maidens stepped out from the shadows. "Arwen, it seems sneaky skills run in the family. I almost didn't notice you there."

Arwen stepped forward and gave me a grin. "I was taking an evening stroll when I heard the tell-tale sound of a human walking and thought I should say hello."

I gawked at her. "You can really tell the difference?"

A raised hand tried to hide her grin but she failed in the attempt. "Well, my dear Sofia. You are rather loud." I folded my arms and gave her an evil grin. "Come now, do not look at me in that manner. Elven ears are highly sensitive and while our feet barely caress the earth your human feet seemed forceful in announcing your presence." Arwen gave me a grin and shrugged.

"Thanks," I muttered dryly.

She eyed my coiffed tresses, jeans, and dressy top that clung to my curves and flared at the sleeves. "You look quite nice tonight." Her lips drew upward into a knowing smile and her eyes sparkled with mirth.

My cheeks colored slightly. On one hand Arwen had become a friend to me. On the other hand, she was the sister of my kinda-sorta-boyfriend type. "This?" I gestured towards myself. "Oh, these clothes are just my hiking clothes. Just planning on hiking through the woods. Yup."

My brown eyes held her blue ones for a moment until our facades cracked and we started laughing. "Well," she began, "I am sure whatever creatures you find in the woods will appreciate your look tonight."

I rolled my eyes and smiled. "Thanks Arwen. I'll see you later."

Her hand caught my arm. "Wait."

I raised my eyebrow inquisitively. "Yeah?"

"I just wanted to say that I'm glad you and Elladan have made up. I saw him after Elrohir's outburst last night and he seemed quite despondent. But since you two spoke this morning a spark has appeared back in his eyes."

My smile for her was sudden and genuine. "Thanks Arwen. That means a lot that you would say that."

Arwen's eyes focused somewhere in the distance. "Trust me, friend, I am no one to judge love. I of all people understand how it can come at the most unexpected time from sometimes the most inconvenient person." She smiled sadly and I was reminded of Elrohir explaining last night that to be with Aragorn then Arwen would have to give up her immortality and her family.

On impulse I gave her a hug that she returned. Elves are an interesting lot. One moment they appear as youthful as children as they laugh and play jokes. Sometimes their faces will still in a serious expression that betrays the wisdom and knowledge of their age. And other times, like now, they look as lost as any other human I know can be.

"Thank you, dear Sofia." Arwen pulled back and smoothed a strand a wayward hair from my eyes. "Now go," she said with a devilish grin. "Go enjoy your hiking trip."

She didn't need to tell me twice.

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Once I reached our rendezvous tree I stared upward at it for a moment. At times I can get lost in natural beauty and this ancient tree was certainly and inspiration. Its sprawling branches interwove amongst themselves in places, dipped low in others, and stretched higher than I could tell. The tree seemed to hum with energy and life as it was made home by various animals who scurried up the trunk or flew between branches.

"Elladan?" I called.

"You'll have to find me," he replied in a sing-song voice.

I scowled. Frustrating elf. Well, no problem. I like winning games. A smile lit up my face as I scanned the nooks and crannies of the trees. The shadows seemed to be playing on the side of my elf because their darkness, thanks to the sun nearly being gone, seemed impenetratable. My knees bent and I shot myself straight up to grab a low-hanging branch.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are my pointy-eared prey," I sang out to him in my most innocent voice.

"Over here!" I looked sharply in the direction of the voice when to my opposite side I heard him say "over here!" as well.

"Tricky, tricky little elf. Your Jedi mind tricks will not work on me."

Balancing on the branches I began stalking Elladan in the structure of that one tree. Suddenly my spidey-sense tingled and I leapt up, swung myself forward on a branch like a trapeze artist, and flew right at Elladan.

"Got you!" I shrieked.

His arms clutched my torso. "Looks like I got you, little Slayer." Elladan then proceeded to tickle me ruthlessly as I stammered for him to stop. Eventually he tired of his wicked game and ceased tickling, although he kept his hand on my waist.

"So," I ran both hands through his hair and grinned at his shiver of delight. "Since I found you and won, what is my prize?"

"Alas," he began, "I fear I have no gift of high enough quality to give to a champion like yourself." Gingerly he rubbed his thumb across my waiting lips; teasing me.

"Shut up." I leaned forward and gave him a sweet kiss on the lips. We lingered in that moment and then got caught up with a deeper kiss that made my stomach clench.

When we broke apart he gave me an amused grin. "Shut up? Oh, Sofia. Be still my beating heart. You know exactly how to set a romantic mood."

I tried to keep a straight face but ended up smiling. "Shut up," I repeated and drew him in for another kiss. Sometimes romance is overrated, after all.

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A/N:

Most beloved readers, forgive me! It has been 3 weeks since my last post. *hangs head in shame* I've been extremely occupied with a job that's more demanding than a Russell Terrier puppy (have you ever owned one of those? Crazy!). Not to mention, my work life has been so depressing that my muse couldn't take the stress either and she ran away! I mean, I would have ran away too, but…

I digress. Anyways, consider this a lil somethin' somethin' until next week. Once the evilness of this week is over I believe I will be able to have a life again and continue writing. I left out some walnut fudge brownies and I think I've been able to recapture my muse so she will not run away again. Thank goodness I keep a spare super-sized butterfly net at my house. :D

(I have especially wicked plans to disrupt a certain couple's love life, the success of a magickal spell, vampires run amuck, and the ultimate battle for a vampire slayer)

As always… Reviews? Yes please! ;D

Most beloved readers, forgive me! I barely post new chapters anymore. *hangs head in shame* I've been extremely occupied with a job that's more demanding than a Russell Terrier puppy (have you ever owned one of those? Crazy!). Not to mention, my work life has been so depressing that my muse couldn't take the stress either and she ran away! I mean, I would have ran away too, but…

I digress. Anyways, consider this a lil somethin' somethin' until next week. Once the evilness of this week is over I believe I will be able to have a life again and continue writing. I left out some walnut fudge brownies and I think I've been able to recapture my muse so she will not run away again. Thank goodness I keep a spare super-sized butterfly net at my house. :D

(I have especially wicked plans to disrupt a certain couple's love life, the success of a magickal spell, vampires run amuck, and the ultimate battle for a vampire slayer)

As always… Reviews? Yes please! ;D


	38. A Visit From the Master of Dreams

**Chapter 38: A Visit from the Master of Dreams**

I lay curled against the branches of mine and Elladan's secret tree. The ancient and gentle tree provided a natural resting place for me and I was thankful for it. A blissful feeling swept through me as I took in the soothing rustle of the leaves and sounds of life that emanated from the forest. I closed my eyes in relaxation and let out a deep breathe that I didn't realize I had been holding. It felt like I had been holding my breath since I arrived in Middle-Earth; honestly since the debacle concerning the insidious Damian. But peace seemed to be nearing as I embraced my feelings for Elladan. Sweet, sweet peace.

Or was it? At the thought of peace I realized I was not alone. My head turned sharply upwards where I spied a majestic creature staring down at me serenely. He resembled an elf of Lothlórien with shining platnium hair that reached past his waist, tall, and fair-skinned. Eyes narrowed, I stared at this creature who dared to disturb my moment alone. My coffee-brown eyes raked over him as I assesed his potential for danger.

His thin lips drew upwards in a smirk at my analysis and he crossed his arms, like he was waiting for me patiently.

I bit my lip to prevent a bitchy response. The way he looked at me… It made me feel like a child that he was humoring in some strange game. Quicky I scanned my surroundings and saw no potential weapons. Dammit. I looked back to him and waited for him to announce himself.

Instead he just kept on grinning at me.

After another five minutes of staring I couldn't take it anymore. "Who the hell are you?" I bristled as I stood up.

The stranger gave a short laugh and leaped nimbly down to the branch I stood at. "You are perhaps as amusing as I thought. Such bold language from one so small."

I paused and took a moment to stare into his brilliant green eyes. They resembled a rock of jade that sparkled under the glint of sunlight. His smile widened and displayed dentist-approved perfect teeth.

"If you knew who I was, you would not make fun of my size. You should have seen the last elves who made that mistake." My arms tensed at my side and I clenched my hands in order to maintain control. I couldn't place my finger on it, but… something about this guy made me feel uneasy. I don't _think_ I was in danger but I didn't feel exactly safe either.

Leaning nochalantly against the trunk, he crossed his arms loosely. "Oh, indeed I know who you are Sofia Isabella Ramirez, Vampire Slayer." I raised my eyebrow at the use of my name, but I was not heavily concerned. After all, my name and status were common knowledge amongst the elves.

The stranger began chuckling. "Actually, your fight with Bregolien was intensley entertaining. One of the funniest things I have seen in these woods in some time. Therefore, I have no intention of making Bregolien's mistake. But then again, I am not worried since I am not an elf." He stared at me for good measure at that statement.

My mind began racing. He looked like an elf, had the beautiful voice of one, and the reflexes as well. If he wasn't an elf…?

"Than what am I?" He swung on a few branches and began making his way to the forest floor. "Come, Vampire Slayer. Walk with me. We have much to discuss."

I hesitated. My skin was starting to get the creepy crawlies but I did as he said. Once I landed on the ground he started striding forward through the forest and my smaller legs struggled to keep up without looking like I was jogging.

"So, what are you?" I questioned in an annoyed tone.

The Look-Like-An-Elf-But-Not-One just gave me an amused glance and continued walking as if I hadn't spoken. After a moment passed he spoke again. "Your feelings for Elladan are growing, are they not?"

I stopped mid-stride and gave him an angry look that was lit by an inner fire. "First, you interrupt my me-time, then you refuse to tell me who you are, and _now_ you are asking extremely personal questions. Excuse me but this isn't Oprah and I'm not 'bout to pour my heart out to some stranger!"

Throughout my rant the stranger kept his eyes closed and a small smile graced his lips. He seemed to revel in my anger… What the hell?

"Sofia, it's true that I am reveling in your anger a bit. You must understand, such strong emotions are not as common amongst the Firstborn and it has been a very long time since I have been in the presence of a human."

"Who _are_ you?" I breathed. His face took on a brief glow as he spoke and I was frustrated and bewildered at his identity.

"Who am I," he mused quietly. "I am one of the few who Eru Ilúvatar first created to bear witness to His vision and to assist in building Arda, this world that includes Middle-Earth. I have been in existence before the coming of the Children of Ilúvatar, before the lighting of the Two Lamps, before the world even breathed.

"I was originally named Irmo but gave myself the name Lórien, after my beloved gardens in the land of Valinor, for which this forest was named." He spread his arms to indicate the greenery around us. "I am a Vala, an angelic power that Eru Ilúvatar created to complete his vision."

I stared at him in shock, lost for words. Finally, "are you kidding me? I must be dreaming."

Lórien winked slyly at me. "One, I am not kidding, tithen maethor. Two, you are correct; you are dreaming."

My fingers rubbed my face viciously as I took in what he was saying. "So I am dreaming. So… How do I know you are really here. Wait, _are_ you really here?"

Lórien walked forward towards me and embraced me. He felt strong; but not just in the classical sense of physicality but strength of spirit as well. When I broke from him I saw we were back up in the branches of the ancient tree.

"Ah!" I shrieked in surprise.

Lórien began laughing again. I gave him another scorching look and he faltered. "I am here, tithen maethor, but our time grows short. Again, I must ask you. Are your feelings for Elladan growing?"

My lips pursed. "If you're a freaking angel person shouldn't you just be able to tell?"

He sighed and looked away for a moment. "It doesn't work that way. I need you to tell me. Are your feelings for the elf growing stronger?"

I hesitated and tried to discern why this question would be so important to him. What does it matter how I felt about Elladan? For that matter… I was still unsure how I felt.

"Are you unsure?"

"Okay, if you are going to read my mind what is the point of asking me all these damn questions?" I growled.

A smirk found its way back onto his handsome face. "Your expressions are easy to read, Sofia. I suggest you never engage in a gambling sport as a hobby. You would fail quite miserably."

"Thanks," I said dryly. "And for your information, yes, I am confused."

"Why?" Lórien's question hung in the air like a dense fog that threatened to consume me.

"I don't know!" I shouted; frustrated. This dude was really pissing me off. "What does it matter?"

"It does matter," he responded in a voice as cold as winter in Minnesota. "Why won't you look deeper within yourself and see?"

My mind took a moment to reflect. The first time I met Elladan after slaying the fell beast and I took in his lovely grey eyes. The stammering mess he almost turned me into after teasing me about a kiss on the cheek. Our first kiss that took me by surprise. Our fight in the creek where he first held me to him. The fight in the woods where we realized our feelings for each other. This evening when we played as young lovers do, teasing each other and playing amidst our tree.

The feeling of love came at me in a rush and I crumpled to the ground at the force of its power. "No," I gasped. "It's too soon." I breathed in deeply. "I barely know him but…" I trailed off.

"But," Lórien prompted.

"But I love him." Those words… I never imagined saying them in reference to any man ever again.

"Well, Elladan is not a man but an elf. With elves they quickly know love when they experience it so it is no surprise that you know, on a subconcious level anyway. What a pity she was right," Lórien murmered.

"Who was right? A pity?" I struggled to connect what Lórien was saying to me.

He gave me a sad smile. "It is good we know it is love now so we can end it before it progresses any further."

"What?" I exclaimed. "Why?"

"It is not meant to be, dear child. You were never meant to come here and while you are needed for the battle against Thuringwethil you on on course to disturb a number of Vairë's threads in her tapestry. I am sorry, but there are great moments on course for the future and if they even slightly distrubed there will be great consequences for all of Arda."

I felt a pressure on my heart that threatened to compress it until it disappeared. Still kneeling on the gorund, I clutched the tunic of the Vala. "No, you have no right… You can't do this," I gasped.

"Fear not. We will try to make up for it as we can. At the very least, you will not remember this conversation." Very gently, like a father to his small child, Lórien kissed my forehead.

"But I want to remember!" Slowly, blackness enveloped me, Lórien disappeared, and I was gone from that world.

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*note* tell me why my spell check and grammar will not work on my Word. And my typing is horrible. Hence, please do not hate me for random issues of misspellings and badness.

*Lórien: .org/wiki/Vair%C3%AB#Vair. He is also known as the Master of Dreams

*tithen maethor: elvish for 'little warrior'

*Arda: the name given to the world that Middle-Earth exists in: .org/wiki/Arda

*Children of Ilúvatar: Elves & Men

* Vairë: A Vala; Entitled the Weaver. She is espoused to Namo, and lives with him at Mandos. She weaves the story of the World in her tapestries, which are draped all over the halls of Mandos


	39. Dum Dum Da Dum, Dum Dum Da Dum

**Chapter 39: Dum Dum Da Dum. Dum Dum Da Dum…**

**A/N: This is dedicated to my girl and faithful reader ANGWEN who just got married on Saturday! Congratulations chica :) **

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"Sofia! Wake up! We have a guest!" Vi's excited voice crept into my dreams less like a bandit and more like a marching band.

"What?" I asked irritably. Blinking my eyes slowly open I focused on Vi's brilliant smile that seemed unfazed by my grouchy response. "I'm still sore from yesterday's training and sparring with those that elf dude." My body shrunk into a tighter ball as I pulled the covers over my head. Even without Vi's shiny, happy, freaking annoying voice I still would be in a bad mood. I tried to pinpoint why… Bad dreams I guess. I was feeling extremely anxious and annoyed from whatever I had dreamed about.

If it was like any of my other nightmares, it was probably about my torture from the couple weeks ago. Oh well, at least I didn't remember it this time.

In a flash that evil girl I called a friend yanked my blanket off. "Hey!" I moaned in indignation.

"Sofia, look who's here!"

It took a moment for my brain to register that statement as I looked past Vi. Standing there, clad in jeans and a t-shirt, was a grinning Dawn. My eyes widened at the sight of her. "Chica!" I leaped out of bed and gave her a hug. "When the hell did you get here?"

"Vi gave the SOS to Willow and she sent me here. I ended up in a on the edge of the forest amidst some bewildered elves. Which was super fun because of course they did not speak any English _or_ Westron, since ya know Will gave me the Westron Rosetta Stone spell, but luckily I got here."

I shook my head in amazement at Dawn's ability to speak so quickly without taking a single breath. "Welcome to Middle-Earth! Glad to know Will did some dreamwalking and got a hold of Vi."

Dawn's green eyes stared at me in concern. "Yes, well. She tried to get a hold of you but she said there was major interference."

My thoughts went straight to the anxious dream that I couldn't remember. "Interference how?"

She plopped down at the foot of my bed, concern still evident on her face. "She said there was already someone in your dreams; someone far more powerful than her. We were afraid it was Damian again or maybe the sorcerer dude here. Did you have okay dreams?"

I tried to probe my memories but came up with nothing. "I'm…I'm not sure. They definitely didn't seem to be about rainbows or kitties, but I can't remember." My eyebrows knitted in puzzlement. "But she said someone was in my dreams?"

"Yeah…" Dawn trailed off, deep in thought.

I shrugged. "I don't know. But it's giving me the wiggins to think about it so let's think of something else." I grinned at her; wanting to escape the serious topic that had started a knot of anxiety in my stomach. "Like how you're here!" I gave her another hug.

"On that note, let's get ready and show Dawn around. Maybe we'll get lucky and the elven warriors will be practicing with the shirts off." Vi grinned wickedly.

"Really?" Dawn's eyes lit up. "Cause, if there are more creatures that look like Haldir just waiting outside, then I think that's where we need to be."

The three of us laughed. But while I laughed at one of Dawn's silly comments I couldn't help but be worried. Someone in my dream? A feeling on anxiety? As if my life wasn't crazy enough.

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We made the rounds of the elven city to introduce Dawn to Galadriel, Celeborn, Gandalf, and other various people. Those three seemed especially interested in her and Galadriel said Dawn possessed an unique life energy. That led to a complicated explanation that for thousands of years there was a mystical 'key' that could unlock passages to dimensions until a group of monks took that energy and gave it human form. That human ended up being Dawn who was then grafted in the memories of the Sunnydalers as Buffy's younger sister. The three ancient leaders seemed fascinated by that turn of events but refrained from pestering Dawn with too many questions; I think all of them were aware of the amount of discomfort that issue caused Dawn.

On the whole, as an outsider, I would say she's dealt with her mysterious origins quite well. I'm not sure how I would feel in a situation like that. Nonetheless, it is not an issue she enjoys discussing to a great extent.

Luckily, Dawn had chosen an excellent day to arrive since we were finally going to celebrate the union of Ariellan and Orophin! Vi, Dawn, Arwen, and some other ellith I didn't really know were decorating the same clearing the arrival feast had taken place. The elves were coaxing the flowers to grow in designated patches and asking the trees for permission to hang lanterns from them. We were stuck with the manual labor of carrying chairs and tables.

"So I don't get it," Dawn whispered to me. "The talk to the plants and the plants listen to them? My homeroom teacher used to do that when she watered her plants but I don't think they ever listened, since she went through four plants a year."

I shrugged. "No idea. I'm still trying to figure out all the ways of the elves."

Arwen came up beside us with an amused smile. "You could just ask us, you know."

Lifting my arms up in 'eh' movement I said, "Well, sure, if you're being logical."

Dawn looked alarmed. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to talk about you but your ways are a lot different than what I'm used to."

Laughing lightly she clasped her hands. "Please, never be afraid to ask us questions. It's a shame, really, that people have come to fear the elves and our ways. All because long ago the men forgot our one time alliance and began to become suspicious of us. Yet, if they only asked they would understand us better. So my friends, don't be afraid to ask us anything."

'What's your favorite color?" I asked with a smile.

"Blue, due to the beauty of the sky and that I do look quite nice in it." Arwen gave a mischievous smile.

"If you could be any animal what would you be?" Vi added to our list of silly questions.

"An eagle, so I could soar in the clouds."

"Strangest habit you have?" I asked.

"Setting myself up for my darling friends to mock me," she laughed.

We took a moment to laugh before I seriously asked her a question. "So how is it elves can talk to plants and they actually listen?"

Arwen trailed her hand down the rough bark of a nearby tree. "For all of time, elves have existed in close contact with all living things; all plants and animals. Long ago we learned to communicate with them and it is one of our gifts. Plants especially love the presence of elves and grow strong in our midst. When we speak to them nicely they are often cooperative in granting us small favors."

"So," Dawn began, "Could you make a tree grow," she snapped her fingers, "like that?"

"Not quite," Arwen grinned. "Our magic is not _that_ instantaneous. Over time we can assist a tree in reaching its full height but it takes much work."

"What I'm interested in is the party,' I laughed. "How much longer is it?"

Arwen rolled her eyes at me. "I see patience is not a strong suit of yours. We will begin around 4 o'clock. Will those short hours be too long for you to wait for a moment to dance with my brother?" she teased.

I became very focused on the strand of garland that I was weaving through the trees. "Very funny, Arwen," I grumbled. She and my other friends snickered at me and in return I gave them quite the glowering look, if I do say so myself.

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The large crowd of elves and humans milled about in the decorated clearing. The time for Ariellan and Orophin's party was here and I was busy looking for a certain raven-haired elf. I spotted him from behind; he was speaking to Aragorn. Stepping nimbly over there in secret (I do enjoy my rare opportunities to sneak up on _him_) I grabbed his arm and greeted him with a warm "Hey baby!"

His face turned towards me sharply and too late I realized my mistake. How I made the mistake, I didn't know. I let go of his arm like a chef who realized they were touching a boiling pot. "Sorry, Elrohir," I muttered; eyes downcast. "Elladan said you were arriving a bit later so I just naturally assumed you were him." At that moment I felt so embarrassed and would have gladly welcomed a portal sucking me into the Dimension of Shrimp.

Bravely, I looked up into his face. His grey eyes were distant and glacier-cold, his mouth was drawn into a thin line, and his jaw tightened at the sight of me. It felt so unnatural and disturbing to see the face of my romantic interest to be etched in hatred. Madre de Dios, not only does Elladan's brother have to hate me, but he has to be his freaking identical twin!

"Sofia," he stated stiffly with a nod.

I glanced over at Aragorn who gave me a warm smile. I'm sure he sensed the tension and I appreciated it when he drew me into a hug. "My, my," he said softly. "My brother is a lucky fellow indeed. You look truly lovely Sofia; like nothing Middle-Earth has seen before."

Smiling shyly, I reviewed my ensemble. Knowing about this wedding ahead of time I had packed for it special. My dress was a fire-engine red, plunging halter that flared greatly. Perfect for dancing. My hair was braided in places and pinned elegantly upwards. "Thank you Aragorn. I'm glad to get at least one stamp of approval," I said sharply for Elrohir's benefit. Before either of them could speak again I said, "I think Vi needs me. I'll see you later!"

Silently I fumed about Elrohir's coldness. Honestly! Who does he think he is? I'm about done playing Ms. Nice Girl with him if he doesn't start chilling out a bit.

Arms reached around my waist and I stiffened for a moment at the sudden touch but relaxed as soon as I realized it was Elladan. "Hey, you," I said as I turned my head upwards.

"Hey yourself." Elladan grinned at me and kissed the top of my head as I leaned back into him.

The band began playing a song and the crowd looked towards the forest expectantly. "Now is the moment when the new bride and groom present themselves," he explained.

Ariellan and Orophin walked hand in hand towards the crowd. She looked positively radiant in a sky blue gown that shimmered the way waves do when the sunlight dances across them. Orophin was dressed in a tunic of deep blue with gold threading and both of their heads were covered in a wreath of flowers.

Elladan continued his explanations. "They wear the crown of flowers to celebrate the new life they are creating together. Ariellan's dress is meant to represent the morning sky to celebrate the new start of their lives while Orophin's deep blue represents the midnight sky and that they will be united until the end of their days. The gold embroidery on their clothing indicates the richness of life that they will encounter.

"Wow," I sighed. "I'm not one for cutesy, touchy-feeling things, but that is quite cute."

"What do you mean you don't like touchy-feeling things? Don't you like it when I am touchy-feely with you?" Elladan breathed in my ear. His fingers gently began to tickle my sides and I giggled silently.

"You hush! I want to pay attention to what happens next." I hit his hands lightly and he relented on bothering me for the moment. Although I acted annoyed, I knew a goofy grin had made its way onto my face.

The band stopped and Orophin's brothers stepped forward. Rúmil and Haldir were breathtaking to behold; one in a tunic of forest-green and the latter in a rich mahogany brown. "Rúmil's green represents the life of the forest which stands for food and shelter. Haldir's brown symbolizes him as the roots of the family; one who will provide the young couple with support."

"Friends and Family," Haldir announced. "Today we come together to celebrate the joining of two fëa. These two elves are most beloved by all of us and it is with great honor that I introduce my brother Orophin and my new baby sister Ariellan."

I could have sworn Haldir winked at Ariellan when he called her his 'baby sister' but she maintained her composure and walked forward with her new spouse.

"Good afternoon to all of you! It is a pleasure for Ariellan and I to share this momentous day with all of you whom we cherish."

"There will be plenty of food, dancing, drinking, and singing tonight so please enjoy yourselves- I know we will!" Everyone laughed at Ariellan's comment and wink while Orophin looked slightly embarrassed at the innuendo of his new wife; but he laughed nonetheless.

With that final announcement the music began and I dragged Elladan onto the dance floor.


	40. Wicked Sofia Causes a Big Problem

**Chapter 40: Wicked Sofia Causes a *Big* Problem**

The beat of the song slowed and Elladan pulled me close to him. As we swayed slowly his right hand caressed my lower back and his left hand rested on the back of my neck. I sighed in contentment and trailed my hand across the front of his chest. The party had been going on for roughly an hour and the entire time we had spent on the dance floor; lost in each other. The thought of separating from him to mingle with friends held no appeal to me at the moment.

It seemed he felt the same way because he was quite satisfied with our time as well. There was something peaceful about this moment that felt special. Often when we are together we are joking or he's teaching me new battle techniques or we are too busy kissing to do much else. Right now was different; an almost peaceful silence rested between us. I'm usually so 'go-go-go' in my actions that it was different to take a moment to rest. But different in a nice way.

A gentle finger rubbed across my cheek. "Do you want any refreshments, _Lirimaer_?"

I had to lean my head back in order to look up into his eyes. "Tired of dancing with me already?" I teased.

"Not at all. My feet are a bit sore from being stepped on, but that is about it." Elladan's eyes crinkled at the corners and he tried in vain to hide his smile.

I mock growled at him. "I never stepped on you! Who would have guessed that elves were such elaborate liars?"

He raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Never stepped on me? Hmmm. Who ever would have guessed at the limited memory capacity of humans?"

Giving him a wry smile, I proceeded to lightly stomp on his foot. Not too hard mind you, just enough to get his attention. He winced in pain and I said; "Now *_that*_ would be stepping on your foot, Senor Elf."

He chuckled lowly. "Fine, perhaps you never stepped on me per se but I certainly had the upper hand a couple dances ago."

My mouth gaped open. "Uh, yeah! Because I was never taught your fancy elf dance!" I rolled my eyes at him. "You are ridiculous."

Elladan leaned down for a quick kiss. "It's conceivably so, but its so much fun to see that fiery look in your eyes. Perhaps I'm a bit of a masochist but I kind of like it when you're angry at me."

I gave him a hard look at ran my nails lightly down his chest. "Trust me, _amorcito_; you would not like me angry at you." His head was lowered towards mine and I whispered in his ear. "I can be positively _wicked_ when need be." I licked part of his lower earlobe and tenderly bit down.

He hissed softly and gripped me tighter. "Sofia," he said in a ragged breath. "Unless you want me to ravish you right here in front of a hundred elves and men, I would suggest-"

I didn't let him finish as I continued to lightly rake my nails down his chest and gently suck his lower lobe for good measure. Elladan stiffened and the softest moan escaped his fine lips.

I placed a chaste kiss on his earlobe. "That I stop? Excellent idea. I think I'm ready for some refreshments now." Quickly I stepped back and gave him a broad, innocent grin.

With dazed eyes he looked at me in surprised. "Stop? Now?" He reached for my hand but I started to walk backwards.

With an exaggerated sigh I said, "Oh goodness, I am so thirsty, Time for a drink." I giggled like an impetuous child.

Realization dawned on him as to the game I had played. Grey eyes narrowed as he took in my smile. "You _are_ wicked." Reluctantly he smiled. "Fine, Sofia. You win. You angry is _not_ a good thing."

I laughed. "Damn straight! C'mon, for real let's get a drink."

"Wait," Elladan called in an excited tone. I looked back at him and observed his face was flushed; like he was embarrassed.

"What?"

"Ahem. Perhaps you could walk in front of me? For a while at least?"

I stared at him in confusion until my eyes noticed a prominent bulge in his pants. "Oh!" I snorted. "I supposed I was a bit too wicked." I started laughing but acted as Elladan's front guard as we made our way to the table.

"It's not that funny," he muttered.

I just continued laughing. "Sofia!" he whispered. "Someone will notice!"

"Alright, alright. I'll obey." I waved my hand over my mouth to show I was going from a smile to a serious face.

"What's so funny, you two?" questioned Arwen as we sat down.

Immediately my grin came back. "Oh, nothing. Just a *_little*_ problem." Even though what I had seen was certainly not little by any means Elladan's clear discomfort was far too humorous at the moment. A little voice said I should probably not make fun of my novio's equipment but I thought a little joke would be okay.

Elladan glared at me. "It's not little at all! It's quite *_large*_…a large problem!" His glare turned to a grin and we started laughing together, much to the bemusement of our current companions Arwen, Aragorn, Vi, Dawn, Amras, and Elrohir.

"Uh-Huh," said Dawn. "Not wonder you're together," she snorted. "You guys are both crazy, you know that, right?"

Elladan gave me a sidelong glance. "I can't help if I'm *_growing*_ in affection for Sofia."

I groaned at his horrible pun and threw a piece of roll at him. "Awful, you are absolutely awful."

Vi leaned over to me. "Do we want to know?" she asked in a stage whisper.

I shook my head. "Trust me, you do not want to know." I smiled at Elladan and his hand interlaced with mine under the table.

We spent the next several hours eating and drinking with our friends, dancing, listening to the songs and stories of the performing elves, and making time to greet our happily wedded friends. Now Elladan and I rested at a table sipping some potent wine with Haldir, Vi, Dawn, and Amras. Interestingly enough, I hadn't seen Amras the Ranger and Vi spend much time apart tonight. Very interesting indeed.

In the center of the floor Ariellan and Orophin were wrapped tightly in each other's arms and seemed perfectly oblivious to the world around them.

"I love weddings," sighed Vi. "They are so romantic."

I bit my lip to keep from laughing as I remembered her extensive romance book collection back home.

"In times of war it is a truly happy sight to see two people united. It gives hope to all of us," commented Amras. Vi looked up at him and I saw their eyes catch. Yup, definite sparkage for my girl.

"Hmmph," Dawn grumbled. "I have yet to see anyone happy in love and marriage so I'm not a huge fan of weddings. Cake, yes. But I don't really believe in finding that one person to last forever."

I was taken aback at Dawn's statement. Never before had I known her negative views on marriage. "Why so, Dawn?"

She gave me sardonic smile. "Hello, Sof? When you have divorced parents, have seen your older sister fall for the worst guys, seen your friends have issues like canceling weddings on their ex-vengeance demon lovers, and issues of your own, its hard to have faith in finding the one and only."

"Surely there are people in your dimension who do find their match and get married," asked Elladan.

Dawn sighed. "Yeah. Yes, it does happen. I just don't really spend my days dreaming about my wedding day."

Elladan's eyes turned to me. "What about you, Sofia? Do you dream about your wedding day?" His expression struggled to remain neutral but I saw a blend of curiosity, apprehension, and hope in his eyes.

"Do I dream about my wedding day?" I asked in surprise.

At once I was lost in my memories of my own wedding day.

_Erik's deep voice chuckled and my skin tingled at the sound of it. "Come on Sofia. You have to come out of there sometime or we'll be late!"_

_I searched for any hidden flaws in the mirror and fretted about one stray curl that refused to go in the direction of the others. "One moment," I called in a voice warm with excitement. Everything had to be just right. Even this one curl. _

_Once I had banished the insolent curl to be hidden behind my more tame waves, I stepped out of my bedroom. "I'm ready!"_

_Simultaneously, our mouths dropped open in shock. Erik looked absolutely gorgeous, no question about it. A black suit fitted his 6'1 frame well and he had freshly shaved his beard. His shaved head glinted slightly in the light from the overhead fixture and his deep brown eyes stared at me in wonder. I smiled as I took in his generous lips, his cocoa skin, and the cheekbones that seemed to be carved into his face. _

_He graced me with a brilliant grin and I gather he appreciated my appearance as well. I had pulled half of my hair up on top of my head and the rest hung freely around my shoulders. Gemmed pins were planted throughout my tresses so I too glinted in the light. My white dress draped off the shoulders and clung to my curves. Ending at my knees, it gave me the appearance of someone dressed up but not terribly so; perfect for our elopement. ._

_My dark Adonis extended his hand to me and I took it. In a few moments we would be at the local magistrate and would be made man and wife. _

_Together, forever._

As I tried to escape that bittersweet memory I didn't notice a tear escape from my eye.

"Sofia?" Elladan asked, his voice heavy with concern.

I looked up and saw Vi and Haldir watching me closely. They knew what I would be thinking of. Dawn and Amras looked confused at my reaction to such a simple question.

I sat there quietly, not sure my voice would be unable to betray my true emotions.

"Elladan," started Haldir, "maybe we should move on to a new topic. This one's a bit sore for her."

Elladan's eyes narrowed at Haldir. "And how would you know of this, Marchwarden?" I could see jealousy flare up within him. I sighed. He was a warrior to the core. He didn't know how to combat my negative reaction to his statement but Haldir was a tangible thing to fight.

"Don't worry about it," Haldir stated coolly.

"I will," he bit off, "worry about it if I so desire." Elladan closed his eyes for a moment and turned to me. "I'm sorry, Sofia. Please tell me what I said to offend you." His eyes searched mine beseechingly.

"It's-It's nothing," I stammered and got up to my feet. "It's been a long day. I think I'll go back to my talan now." My stomach swirled uncertainly and I felt nauseous from all the food and wine.

Haldir stood up. "I'll take you."

Before Elladan could utter an objection I said gratefully, "thank you."

Haldir held onto my left elbow as we made our way through the maze of people. Once we were safely away from the crowd I burst into tears.

My dear friend pulled me into his arms and rubbed my back soothingly. "Hush Vancarmiel, hush." He held me for a while until my tears subsided.

"Thank you Hal," I whispered. "I don't know what came over me. Elladan asked me about my wedding day dreams and immediately I thought of my wedding day with Erik. I was completely unprepared for it and I am afraid I did not deal with it very well."

Giving me a huge bear hug he answered, "It's okay Sofia. It's okay to not be perfect and keep your emotions one hundred percent in control." I could hear the smile in his voice. "You do tend to wear your emotions on your face." He pulled me back and looked at me. "_I suggest you never engage in a gambling sport as a hobby. You would fail quite miserably_." Haldir laughed to himself.

My body went rigid. "What did you say?" I asked in surprise.

Haldir stared at me in confusion. "Um, it's okay not to be perfect?" I shook my head. "You would be awful at gambling?"

For a reason unbeknownst to me my blood ran cold at what he had said to me. But why? Why would an innocent mention of my horrible poker face make me react like that? My heart began racing as my anxiety heightened. My breathing was coming quicker as a feeling of imminent despair came upon me.

"Vancarmiel? Are you alright?" Haldir held my upper arms tightly as he searched my face for an explanation.

I focused on breathing evenly. In and out. In and out. "Yeah," I muttered. "Just dandy, I am"

"What is it?"

I looked into blue eyes filled with worry and spoke honestly. "I don't know, Hal. Something about that comment brought back some déjà vu and I don't know why. It just brought on this terrible gut-wrenching feeling of despair but…" I shrugged. I had no more to say on it. "I think I need to go to sleep."

Haldir eyed me for a moment and nodded. "As you wish."

We made our way back to my talan as I tried to consciously loosen the knots in my stomach. I kept trying to tell myself it was nothing, just weird déjà vu.

Too bad it didn't feel that way.

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**First**: Could someone please explain what it means that a reader has 'hidden' my story? I know readers can 'track' it but I am confused what 'hiding' it does. I would really appreciate some info because I tried the FAQ page but didn't find it *sad panda face*

**Second**: I don't know about you, dear reader, but I am quite excited! Things are starting to move closer to some major events I have sketched out. For the moment I decided to blend romance, comedy, and tragedy- nice, no? _(Honestly, I was laughing out loud as I wrote about Elladan's 'big problem' ahhh hahaha :)_

Lirimaer: lovely one- #positive

Amorcito: Little dear (masc)

Novio: boyfriend


	41. Caring is Sharing

**Chapter 41: Sharing is Caring**

It was nearly time for dinner, but you wouldn't know it by looking at me. Like a caterpillar I had woven a complex layer of blankets around me and lay dormant on my bed. Sure, I had gotten up for breakfast and took a walk with Vi and Dawn, but that was the extent of my social activity.

Essentially, I was feeling extremely foolish for my strong reaction at the wedding last night when Elladan asked me, 'Do you dream about your wedding day?' To clam up and start crying is not generally a method of conversation I embrace. The question just hit me by surprise and the flashback of my wedding to Erik was heart wrenching to unexpectantly think about. Vi said she had tried to cover for me after I left but Elladan was highly confused, worried, and a bit irked that I had chosen to confide about something to Haldir and not him.

Not to mention Vi had given me quite the tongue lashing for not telling Elladan at least _something_ about my past concerning my husband's body being taken over by an evil sorcerer. I rolled over and sighed within my cocoon of bedding. On top of my embarrassment and anxiety over eventually having to face this issue with Elladan, I was faced with killer cramps. The cramps had just started today and I assume my PMS was partly responsible for my dramatic reaction last night. Sometimes it sucks being a girl.

Then I giggled to myself as I remembered the slayer dormitories back in England. It's a medical fact that women who spend a lot of time together end up on the same ovulation schedule so imagine a building full of super strong girls all PMSing at once. Oh, how I pitied the few men among us, like Giles, Andrew, and Xander. Those few days were excruciating times for them to work with us.

I heard footsteps outside and I stiffened as a light rap came down on the door. I didn't feel like facing the world today because the world meant Elladan. And I wasn't comfortable telling him any big secrets just yet. I cringed inwardly at what he might think. The elves are so big on lifelong commitment and marriage that he may feel uneasy being with a woman who has already been married. Not just that, I corrected myself, but a woman who is a widow. That's the kind of thing that freaks males out and I am just not ready for Elladan to freak out on me yet.

The door opened silently and I feigned sleep so my visitor wouldn't bother me. No luck. The light footsteps came closer to my bed.

"Vancarmiel," Haldir whispered. "Are you sleeping?"

I stifled a laugh. Honestly, why the hell do people ask that? One, its not a question you can say yes to. Two, why ask if you just end up waking the person up? Three, if someone is hiding under the covers pretending to be asleep why would they answer you anyways?

Therefore I maintained my silence.

He sighed. I had the feeling he knew I was awake. Damn elf and his supernatural senses.

"Vancarmiel, I don't understand why you have kept cooped up in here. There's plenty to be done as we prepare for attack against Mavlar."

Wincing, I realized he was right. It was selfish of me to lay in here. I couldn't even excuse myself because of my cramps since the best pain reliever for that is exercise. Damn.

"Besides that, you have a very concerned ellon who is waiting to speak to you."

"I don't wanna talk right now," I mumbled under the covers.

"I-dun-wan-tal-righ-naw," he mocked my mumble. "Come on, Sofia. You're being such an elfling."

Taking one second to expose myself to the outside world I flung a pillow at him before I closed back up inside my warm, cozy cocoon. Haldir grunted as the pillow hit him; in the face if my aim was correct. He yanked my covers and pulled them off the bed. Only problem was my limbs were so entangled in the covers I came off the bed too. My back hit the floor with a low thud and I grunted.

"Thanks a lot, Vanilla Face." I rolled around in my covers until I was back in my cocoon.

"Sofia Ramirez!" he barked.

I cringed because for a split second I felt like I was back home and my father was chastising me.

"Si, que quieres? No me molestes, por favor."

Haldir began yanking the covers again. "Oh no, don't think just by speaking in Spanish I'll let you confuse me and then leave you alone. I'm your friend and friends do not let friends mope around all day."

By then I was exposed the world and Haldir held my blankets in his hand in victory. "I'm not moping," I grumbled in indignation.

He gave me a look that I hated; that Stop-Bullshitting-Me-Because-I-See-Right-Through-You look.

I sighed heavily, got up, and folded my arms. "Happy now?" I asked darkly.

Haldir mirrored me and folded his arms as well. "No, I am not happy right now. What would make me happy is seeing you brush your hair, put on something pretty, and go out there and talk to Elladan."

Observing his stony face I asked, "Why? Why is that so important to you?"

Haldir gave a short laugh. "Well, partly because during drills today Elladan took all his aggression out on me which I presume is because his dear beloved chose to tell me her secrets and not him."

Staring at him with a gaping mouth I cried out, "What?"

Holding his hands up in a calming fashion he tried to silence me. "Ease up, Vancarmiel. It's not a big deal." He shrugged and grinned. "I am, after all, an impressive elven warrior so I do not bruise greatly."

I narrowed my eyes in frustration. "Still-" I started.

"That's not the issue. The issue is that you are being pretty unfair to Elladan and apparently your other friends are too scared of you to confront you about it."

Incongruously my lips curled upward. "Scared of me?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

He bit his lower lip to hide his smile. "Apparently so. I asked Vi and Dawn if they had spoken to you about this but both said they had tried earlier until you gave them, I quote, the 'look of death.' Apparently it has something to do with PMS, but they wouldn't explain to me what that was."

Clapping my hand to my face I started laughing. "Oh, you gosh darn crazy elves," I said between laughter. "Always with the verbal hijinks."

"Did I say something funny?" he asked in confusion.

"Don't worry about it." Then I lost my smile. "Do you really think I need to tell him?" I whined.

"Do you really think you should _not_ tell him?"

I sighed deeply. "No, you're right."

"As always."

I smacked him on the arm. "Quiet. Now get out of here."

"See you later, Vancarmiel."

Haldir was almost out the door when I called after him. "And Elf-Boy?" He turned around and gave me a fierce look, which I returned with a sweet smile. "Thanks for looking out."

His expression softened. "Of course, Sofia."

****************************************************************

My nerves were frayed as I paced back and forth by our Rendezvous Tree in the woods. I had asked Elladan to meet me here so we could talk but I was apprehensive. I kept trying to tell myself that Elladan is a good guy and won't be turned off by my history of weirdness but my crazy side wasn't listening very well.

I sighed. He should have been here by now.

Unless…

Unless he doesn't want to talk to me? Maybe he really is angry that I did not confide in him but talked to Haldir instead? I bit my lip in frustration and pulled my hair back into a low ponytail. I'm a fiddler to the extreme when I'm nervous and my hair was providing me with a good excuse to fiddle.

"You're fiddling, aren't you?"

My heart skipped a beat at the sound of Elladan's voice and I froze in mid-fiddle. Dammit. I should never have told him that secret about me; now it can be used against me. I turned around slowly and saw him standing near the trunk of the tree. Casually I dropped my hand and gave a strained smile. "Me? I'm fiddle-free."

Elladan sighed and motioned me towards him with a wave of his hands. "Come here, Sofia." He began climbing up the tree and settled on the widest branch. Quickly I followed and sat next to him.

We sat there for a moment as the horizon began to swallow up the sky and shadows began playing among the trees. A cool breeze carried the fresh green smell of the woods and I breathed in deeply. Glancing to the left of me I saw Elladan watching me closely.

"Sofia," he said softly.

I released my breath and looked him straight in his eyes. The shadows of the tree darkened them but I could read them well enough. Elladan was feeling frustrated; with me I am sure.

"Sofia do you remember just the other day what we decided?"

My days here have been going by so quickly I'm not even sure. "Um."

His head cocked to the side. "Do you remember promising not to evade me when there is an issue?"

Oh. That. "Yeah, that rings a bell," I said sheepishly. My eyes lowered and my embarrassment of my actions brought a flush to my cheeks.

Gently he took my chin and forced me to look him in the eyes again. "In that case, why have you been evading me all day?"

I took another deep breath and tried to keep my emotions in check. "I haven't really been evading you, Elladan." That wasn't quite a lie, was it? I mean… I just happened to stay in my room most of the day; it's not my fault that he wasn't there. Mentally I scolded myself. An immature argument was _probably_ not the way to go.

In response to my statement Elladan dryly stated, "Perhaps not in your dimension but in mine when a person doesn't leave their room and finds excuses to stay away from someone…" he trailed off.

Closing my eyes for a moment I tried to compose my thoughts. "Okay," I admitted. "There may be some truth to that statement. I just felt really awkward about how I reacted last night at the party and I wasn't up for explaining myself."

His eyes widened and he grabbed my hand. "Sofia, please know that you can tell me anything. There's no need to hide from me; to be afraid."

I stiffened at his last word. "I'm not _afraid_," I emphasized. "I just didn't feel like sharing today."

"But you could share with Haldir." Elladan's tone change and his voice sounded tighter. He did a good job of controlling his expression but I noticed his jaw tense.

Without thinking I answered. "Well, yeah! Because Haldir is my friend." I winced as soon as the word 'friend' escaped my lips. Fuck.

Elladan stood up and began rubbing a stray twig furiously between his fingers. Seems I wasn't the only fiddler. "Maybe you can explain it to me, Sofia. But why is it you would choose to share your life concerns with Haldir when I am not only your friend but your, your," he faltered, "your whatever I am. Aren't I more important to you than Haldir is?"

I jumped up and spread my hands in the air. "Okay, first off this isn't a contest of who is more important. Haldir is my friend and sometimes there are things you tell a friend but not a significant other."

"Well I don't like it," he growled and crossed his arms.

Exasperated, I threw up my arms in disgust. "I'm not asking you to _like_ it. Just deal with it. _Dios_! It's not a big deal, Elladan."

"Not a big deal?" Elladan exclaimed. He grabbed my arms and pulled me to look at him. "Do you just realize what your words mean? They mean that you don't trust me, Sofia. You have known Haldir for a shorter time than I and already you trust him more. Yet I, the one who cares for you and wants to be with you-" His voice quieted to a whisper. "Your lack of trust is painful. Do you know how hurtful that is?"

The height of his reaction took me by surprise and I am sure my wide eyes showcased that. "I wasn't thinking of it like that Elladan, I swear. That isn't what I meant at all."

"Do you trust me?"

"Elladan, that's a silly question."

"Good. If it's a silly question, then please humor me and answer." Looking into his eyes, though, I saw no humor.

"I…" Oh my God, just say it. Just blurt it out. The words danced along the tip of my tongue and were begging to be released into the world. But a slight twinge of fear of vulnerability threatened to hold those words captive.

My eyes examined his face and took in each detail. The way the tips of his pointed ears peeked out from underneath thick dark hair. How his eyelashes were curled yet his features remained handsome and did not go into the 'pretty boy' category. The way lines formed on his lips when he was nervous and they dried out, yet how my kisses could easily moisten them. His nose was nothing breathtaking but it sat so perfectly on his face. And finally his eyes. Oh, how I loved those eyes. As I stared into them now I began to get lost in his gaze. The greyness of his eyes swirled around me like morning fog and I began to feel disoriented.

Somehow through that disorientation I managed to speak. "It's hard for me to truly trust people, Elladan. I've always been that way and my years of slaying have made that instinct even harder to pull back from. But I do. I _do_ trust you." Then I leaned upward and gave him a sweet kiss on the lips. He exhaled deeply and already his body language began to loosen and I knew he felt better.

"You know," I began, "the only reason why Haldir knows that one secret is because he was with me with my friend Faith fought it out of me. It's not like I said 'Hey Hal, wanna hear a secret that I will never tell Elladan?'"

Elladan gave me an embarrassed smile and pulled me into his lap as he sat down. "I cannot help it that you don't make me think clearly, _Lirimaer.__" He stroked my hair softly and spoke again. "Besides, from my perspective you cannot blame me for being upset."_

_"No," I sighed. "I understand. But you need to know that it'll take time for me to share major things like that. I'm just not a sharer. And it's not always about __you__, ya know," I shot him a look. "Sometimes I just need some time alone. You can't expect me to spill everything."_

_In the back of his throat he made a frustrated noise. "I see that you are not used to sharing. But it's just…" I looked for him to finish. "You have to understand my perspective. I'm immortal and besides my time with the Rangers I have only spent time with other immortals. Thus, I am a very patient ellon."_

_But with you I feel this fragility of life that I have never experienced so deeply. I want to be able to know you as quickly as possible because I have no idea when the day will come when you are gone from my life. It feels as though everything is rushed but it is because I do not want to miss out on anything that comes to you. So yes, I want to know all your secrets, feelings, desires; I want to know you. And I hope you will let me."_

_He stared at me and waited for a response. Grasping his hand, I raised it to my lips so I could kiss each calloused finger and then his palm. Then I placed his strong hand on my cheek and held it there with my own. _

_"Wow," I said softly. This moment seemed so precious that I feared the slightest loud noise could disturb it. "I didn't realize that was the way you were feeling. Those words… They are almost scary." I looked up at him and smiled. "Not the way you feel, but the truth of your words regarding time. I know, I've __always__ known, that I don't have a lot of time on this earth. Hell, I get it way better than most mortals since your typical slayer doesn't even last as long as I do. But you just made me put that into context; that we only have a short amount of time together."_

_An unbidden thought flashed in my mind: __'But how long do we have? For certainly no slayer is ever granted much happiness in the romance department.__' But I shook the melancholy thought away._

"Let me know you, _Lirimaer__."_

_Our eyes held for what seemed like an eternity. "I would like that," I whispered._

_Throughout the night we traded tales. I confessed my painful secret regarding Erik. I told him everything: how we were secretly married, how Damian took his body, how Damian tricked me for weeks before I realized the truth right before he had tied me up to sell to a demon, how Damian continued to attack me mentally and occasionally physically, how Erik was gone and I grieved for him. Its strange telling a new significant other about a past husband, especially regarding speaking of my love for him. But the love had faded since Erik was gone and I told Elladan that I still grieved for what we had and how a good man lost his life. _

_Amazingly, Elladan didn't react negatively at all. I chastised the crazy voice in my head for telling me so. The fact that I was once married, had been in love, and was now a widow didn't seem to faze him. Of course, he was overly concerned about my emotional and mental well-being but he did not treat me any differently._

Our night was not all about me, of course. Elladan shared some of his own dark stories; they mostly involved terrifying battles that plagued his soul. One story in particular brought tears into his eyes. When the twins were only two hundred Elrohir had become quite taken with a young elleth. For the first time the brothers spent fewer and fewer moments together and Elladan's jealousy began to flare up. The elleth was always kind to him but Elladan was cold in return. Not that she wasn't nice, but he didn't think she was right for his twin.

One day Elladan saw her in the woods looking lost. He was tempted to assist her but decided to let her find her own way and continue back to his home. After all, if he helped he out that would only reinforce the fact that she belonged in his family. Unbeknownst to him, there were half a dozen orcs that had ventured into those woods and found the defenseless ellith all alone.

Elladan continued his story. "It wasn't until a week later that we found the… remains of her body and clothing. In my shame I confessed everything to my brother who then banished me from his sight. But it lasted only a week because in his pain he could not be alone. We could not stay separated from the other. I know my brother has forgiven me, but even 2,000 years later I cannot forgive myself. That was a dark day in my life and one I shall never forget."

We were lying side by side on the grass under the tree. I rolled into him and held him tightly as tears slid down his face. "Elladan-"

"Please, _Lirimaer__. Do not say anything to comfort me. It is an ancient ache, one that is my doom to bear for all of eternity."_

_I abided by his wishes, stayed silent, and just held him. After maybe ten minutes I spoke softly. "So I suppose I should not be surprised Elrohir does not like me. Do you think it is because of that event in your youth?"_

_Elladan stared at me in shock. "No! No, Elrohir is not petty like that. No, I imagine his reaction comes the same place mine did all those years ago, from jealously."_

_"Okay," I answered. I was unconvinced, but I hid it. That was far too big of a story to tackle now._

_Until the first light of day spilled across the sky we continued talking. Many of our topics were deep though none as painful as the ones previously mentioned. It was interesting, though. Each painful topic I spoke of seemed to slightly rip the threads that held the wound within me closed. At the same time, through sharing those burdens with Elladan I began to feel as though those wounds were beginning to truly heal. _

_Hmmm… Perhaps I was too hasty in my sharp judgment regarding letting people in. Maybe, just maybe, those crazy self-help people were right. I laughed to myself at my next thought: maybe sharing is caring!_

_-------------------------------------------------------_

_A/N_

_Reviews make my heart pitter-patter… :D_

"Si, que quieres? No me molestes, por favor – Yes, what do you want? Don't annoy me, please.

_Lirimaer: lovely one_


	42. The Fëanturi Issue a Command

**Chapter 42: The ****Fëanturi Issue a Command**

_A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my loyal reader: __vynya-galad__. Thanks for supporting!! :D_

~~~~~~~:: From Dawn's Perspective::~~~~~~~

There was dirt embedded in her fingernails, she was sweaty, and tired. Regardless of that, Dawn was feeling elated at her discoveries. The woods of Lothlórien were infused with magick and she had spent the better part of two hours collecting various plants. Although she may have been a practicing witch for three years her skills and senses have been developing at a quick pace; and they indicated to her that the local plants would be extremely powerful in spell casting.

She sighed in contentment and allowed herself to feel the magick dance along her exposed arms, leaving raised hairs in its wake. Few places she had traveled to had produced this kind of reaction in her. The temptation to stay here longer and meditate in the presence of the Great Mother Earth was strong. However, the sky was darkening and dinner would be served soon back in the elven city.

Dawn began humming an old Celtic tune she had learned from the Scottish coven as she started her venture back. During her time in the woods she had become acutely in tuned with the natural surroundings so that she wasn't even alarmed when light footprints were nearing her from the direction of the city. The earth told her it was elf-kind that approached her and she raised her eyes to see who it was.

From between a set of trees strode one of the elven twins. Before her mind could even decipher which one it was, the gentle wind whispered it in her ear. "_Elrohir_."

Once upon a time an occurrence such as that would have freaked her out. Or, especially in high school when she longed to fit in with her sister, a moment like that was something she desired beyond comprehension. During her turbulent teens years she yearned for a place in the world to call her own. A place where she was useful and a powerful asset to Buffy and the Scoobies. Whether it was bugging Tara and Willow with questions of witchcraft or the secret hope that she was a Potential Slayer, Dawn had tried to find her place.

It took her a while to realize that first she needed to find herself. As a teen she went back and forth in her life decisions like a Chinese ping-pong tournament. Everything she experienced didn't help either. When she was ten her parents divorced and she got uprooted to Sunnydale. When she was fifteen she found out that she had never been born in the first place, but was in reality a shimmering spark of powerful energy that some Monks turned into a teenage girl; and that of course everyone's memories were modified to always believe she had been there. That same year she lost her mother to a stroke and her sister to a mystical death. When her Buffy was brought back to life just months later she was overwhelmed.

And the list could go on. Essentially she was one fucking confused teenager.

But now it was different; _she_ was different. Dawn was twenty-two years old and had found her calling to be in magick. She was not as powerful as her mentor Willow, but for someone only in the 'practice' (as the kids like to call it nowadays) for three years she was extremely talented.

Her reminiscing took only a second and then she greeted the serious-faced elf. "Elrohir," she stated with a nod. The elves were a fascinating lot; beautiful, deadly, and quite the bunch of talented artisans. So far though, she did not really know Elrohir. In the past month she since had arrived here in Lothlórien, since the day of Ariellan and Orophin's wedding, he has avoided contact with her and the slayers.

Vi had explained to her his reluctance to accept the relationship between Elladan and Sofia. Thus, he seemed more inclined to spend time alone practicing with his blade than spend time with them.

Elrohir nodded in return. "Good evening, Dawn." He hesitated and began to step closer towards her.

Dawn gave him a critical once-over. All elves appeared flawless, it was their gift. But Elrohir looked a bit rough around the edges. There was a slight darkening underneath his eyes that indicated lack of rest. His grey eyes, that appeared blue against the light blue of his tunic, seemed weary. _No_, she thought, _he was not taking the Elladan/Sofia relationship well at all_.

He stopped a yard away from her and indicated towards her basket. "Find anything useful today?"

Although Elrohir was serious-faced like her dad used to be when watching a LA Lakers game (she twinged at the memory of her father, who she had yet to see in years), Dawn could not help but break into a smile at his conversation subject.

"Oh yeah! You would not believe some of the cool stuff I found. While some of these herbs look similar to ones back home, there were a whole bunch of ones that were foreign to me. I cannot wait to inspect them further and figure out the best ways to use them in a spell."

Amazingly, her exuberant response brought the slightest of smiles on Elrohir's face; the right side of his lip curled slightly.

"Nice. I hope you can find some items to help you against Mavlar."

All the positive energy flowed out of her with the biting chill of a waterfall. "Yeah, I hope so too." Dawn refrained from saying anything further. She was the resident witch on the mission and her warriors needed to have faith in her… No matter how scared she was to go up against someone much more powerful than her.

Elrohir seemed to sense her discomfort and gifted her with a rare, gentle smile. "Fret not, Dawn. I can feel how the magick in the air seems to be drawn to you. You may be young, but I sense great strength within you. You will be prepared to leave with us tomorrow."

Dawn appreciated that he made his last sentence a statement and not a question. Her cheeks flushed slightly; she adored praise but was embarrassed at the same time by it. "Thank you Elrohir. While I know it is always better to find the bad guy sooner rather than later, I have to admit that I am relieved that time was given to me to properly adjust to this world and prepare."

Elrohir nodded. "I understand. It is fortunate that the scouts have returned to us by now; many of us were becoming worried. Now we know that Mavlar and his orcs are plotting their black magic in the North where Sauron's old fortress once lay. It should be a week's journey on horseback to get there, as long as we do not run into any problems."

Dawn's eyes widened in alarm. "Don't say that!" she quickly exclaimed.

Elrohir's appeared taken aback by her adamant statement. Dawn took a deep breathe and explained. "Look where I come from, its bad luck to say that. Trust me, if you say something like that then you can expect the worst to happen."

Regardless of her explanation, Elrohir eyed her warily. "That is a strange superstition, but it does remind me of the sayings of the villages I have traveled through. Humans are strangely superstitious."

Dawn scoffed. "One, you would be too if you've been attacked by half of the denizens of hell. Two, elves are _totally_ weird, too."

Elrohir's eyes narrowed. "I must disagree with you on that point, _adanith_. Elves are not _weird_. What a preposterous thing to say."

Dawn rolled her eyes but didn't feel like arguing with the defensive ellon. "Oh-kay, sure then," she said in a mildly sarcastic tone and began walking again.

With his long legs, Elrohir began walking by her side within a moment. "What do you mean that we are weird?"

She gave him a grin. Silly elf took the bait. It appears the First Born are just as curious as humans. "Pleeeease. You elves have your own crazy folk tales as well. Like how you really think that the morning star is an ancient elf named Eärendil." She scoffed. "I mean come on. That's totally as weird as some of the things humans believe, if not more so."

Dawn sneeked a peek at Elrohir and saw that he didn't think she was amusing at all. He was frowning deeply and giving her an irritated look.

"You do realize Eärendil is my great-grandfather," he said in a flat tone.

She wanted to smack herself on the head and stopped in mid-step. Dawn wasn't sure if it was all elves or just this one in particular, but man! They did not take anything lightly. Embarrassment at mocking her companion's ancestor made a bright red blush come to her cheeks and she began stammering, as she usually did when nervous.

"Oh-oh my god," she squeeked. "Um, I totally did not mean to rag on your great-grandpa." She bit her lip in nervousness. "Ah, yeah. I was just kidding about elves being weird. I'm sure come morning he'll be flying overhead and, um, I'll be sure to wave hi."

Elrohir kept staring at her and she felt a bead of sweat spring out on her forehead. Um, yup. Its never good to piss off powerful ancient beings. Which probably entails mocking their great-grandpa. For all she knew maybe he read Elrohir bedtime stories as a kid.

Suddenly Elrohir broke out in laughter and clapped her on the shoulder. "Oh my, the look on your face!" he guffawed. "I thought you were going to pass out from all the blood rushing to your head!" Elrohir had a deep, vibrant male laugh that seemed to roll over her and bring her back to her senses.

First sense that came flying upwards: anger. "I cannot believe you made me feel bad for that! That is purely evil!" She crossed her arms against her chest and waited impatiently for him to stop laughing.

Once he seemed to reclaim control of himself he gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't help it. It is true that is what we believed, but I had to give you grief for mocking it. Of course, I realize that perhaps Edain's stories are not so foolish after all."

"Glad to know you do have a personality behind that serious face of yours," she said in a sarcastic tone, but her eyes twinkled.

Elrohir sobered up. "Yes, that is true. I have not shown my best face around you and our other guests. Elladan is more of the jokester than I am, but I do have a biting sense of humor myself." He flashed Dawn a grin.

"Hmm," she mused. "Maybe you should bring out this side more often, instead of being the hermit that would rather play with swords than living, breathing beings." As his eyebrows raised in shock at her statement, she wanted to clap her hand to her mouth. Dawn had no idea where that came from… Besides the fact that she knew the lack of Elrohir in their group outings caused Elladan stress which in turn caused her friend Sofia stress.

"Quite a bold statement, young witch," Elrohir stated with crossed arms.

Dawn hated being called young. For so long she had been 'too young' to do anything and the word had left a permanent bad taste in her mouth. Thus, her retort was sharper then she would have originally intended. "A bold one, but nontheless truthful, old man."

Elrohir's mouth quirked upwards again. "Not many people call me old," he murmured. "Perhaps you are right, _Dawn_," he emphasized her name, "but I will choose my actions as I will it."

"Yeah, yeah, good for you that you have freedom of choice," Dawn muttered.

The hairs on her arms raised again as she felt magick seep into the woods. She inhaled deeply and smelled the strong undercurrent of powerful magick peppered with the smell of pine, grass, and … lillies?

"Yes, freedom of choice is a most awesome gift given to the Children of Ilúvatar," rumbled a strange deep voice.

Elrohir and Dawn looked at the new presence. He looked like a Lothlórien elf; he was tall and had lengthy platinum locks. Dressed for the outdoors, he wore brown trousers, high brown boots, and a forest-green tunic. But her magickal senses told her immediately that he was no elf. Power radiated from him like a heater on a blustery winter day. Warmth filled her and she had a great urge to bow before this great being.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw that Elrohir had already lowered himself to the ground in reverence of the visitor. She felt guilty not bowing, but it was her experience not to expose herself to any creature she didn't know, especially powerful ones.

"Arise, young Elrohir. And you," he said to Dawn, "do not worry, I do not come to bring harm to you."

Dawn blinked furiously; did he just read her mind? But he continued on speaking.

"I am Lórien, the Master of Spirits. I come to bring news that is both ill and good."

Dawn couldn't help blurting out, "Um, why us?"

Lórien gave her a sharp glance and she felt like her old Sunday School teacher was glaring at her for talking out of hand. His expression softened and he looked at Elrohir. "Is it just me, or do the Edain from their world have an inability to not argue with someone every step of the way?" His belly rumbled with laughter.

Elrohir seemed to be shocked that this great being was sharing a joke with him and seemed flustered on how to respond. "My Lord, ah, yes. Um, it appears so."

Dawn found it amusing the usually confident elf appeared more like a nervous boy on Prom Night at the moment.

"Dawn Summers and Elrohir, Son of Elrond, I come to you because both of you have been recognized as two remarkable individuals who can help prevent a grave mistake that my sister-in-law, Vairë, has seen within her tapestry of the world.

Elrohir's face glowed with the increasing words of Lórien and he seemed ready to lay his life down for the being. She, on the other hand, was feeling skeptical.

"What has this Vairë woman seen? What are we supposed to do?" she questioned politely. Never make the Big Guys mad or they might turn into the Big Bad.

She smiled inwardly. Hey! That rhymed!

"You both know that the Dark Lord Sauron grows increasingly powerful. The battle you head towards against his sorcerer Mavlar to prevent the rise of Thuringwethil is only the beginning. More is to come. But you," Lórien gestured towards the elf, "and your brother will play key roles in the coming years."

"However," he continued in an urgent tone, "what is to be may not come to be if certain things are not changed. The arrival of the slayers was needed; they will prove useful against Thuringwethil. But the joining of Elladan, Son of Elrond, with the Slayer Sofia Ramirez was unexpected. And troubling," he added.

Dawn felt to need to rise in her friend's defense. "Geez! What is up with you people hating on inter-racial or inter-whatever relationships! Sofia and Elladan are happy, leave them be."

"That we cannot do," Lórien's voice reverberated in the air and a chilling gust of wing whipped her hair.

"Why?" she pestered.

"If those two stay together they will start a chain of events that threatens the very future of Middle-Earth; events that will lead to Sauron's conquering of all."

Her eyebrows raised in surprise. "Dramatic much?" she muttered under her breath.

Lórien chose to ignore the comment and issued his command. "You two must break Elladan and Sofia up before the coming of Thuringwethil, or else all is lost."

Elrohir nodded, "I will do as you have commanded, my Lord."

Dawn looked at Elrohir like he was crazier than Glenn Beck (she didn't pay much attention to politics, ya know, being busy helping to save the world and all, but he really got under her skin). "Elrohir! Are you serious?"

He turned to her and gave her a solemn look. "This is Lórien, Master of Dreams. He is one of the Valar and I know he would speak truthfully. I will do what is needed for the betterment of all, which includes my twin and your friend."

She shook her head in disgust. "No way. You have no idea what losing Erik did to Sofia. She's been a mess for the last year. _Finally_ with Elladan she's finding happiness and love. I will not be responsible for taking that from her."

Suddenly there was another swarm of electrifying magick and another being appeared with them. His features were the same as Lórien's; full lips, slender, upturned nose, and glittering dark eyes. But his hair pure black and he was an imposing figure that seemed to emanate coldness and power.

Again, Elrohir bowed. A little pissed at the moment, Dawn remained standing.

"The Fëanturi," Elrohir breathed. "It is indeed an honor to be in your presence."

Dawn tried her best not to get annoyed by not knowing anything and Elrohir being in the know.

"I am Mandos," spoke the newcomer in a chilling, thundering voice. "My brother and I are the Fëanturi, The Masters of Spirits."

'_Well_,' thought Dawn, '_that explains the resemblance_.'

Mandos gave her the full wieght of her stare. At once she could feel this deep sense that Mandos knew everything about her; who she was and who she will become. It made her skin crawl from feeling so naked on a spiritual level.

"Dawn Summers," he began. Dawn thought it was interested how they spoke their full names. Some cultures believe there is power in a person's true name; perhaps these guys did as well.

Mandos continued. "I heard you speak of Erik Adoyo, once husband to the Vampire Slayer Sofia Ramirez. The loss of Erik Adoyo is one that has led her to Elladan, Son of Elrond?" His great dark eyes seemd to bore intensely into hers and she felt nervous slightly.

"Well, in many ways yes. When the sorceror Damian stole Erik's body it broke Sofia. I mean, I guess if that had never happened then Sofia would still be married and never would have looked at an elf in the first place."

The two Vala locked eyes with one another and seemed to have a silent conversation. She hated not knowing what people were saying. Glancing at Elrohir, she saw that he maintained a reverant expression and she felt uneasy. Uneasy of what these powerful beings would ask of them.

"It is settled," Mandos boomed. "We are not so cruel that we would take away a love and leave the Slayer alone, especially one who will prove herself worthy in the coming days."

An aged scroll appeared in Dawn's hands. "This scroll contains a powerful spell, witch. I am the Keeper of the Dead and I know the spirit of Erik Adoyo roams restless due to the treachery of the wicked sorceror. When you are near the sorceror say this spell and Erik Adoyo will be restored, body and soul."

"In return," added Lórien, "we expect that the Sofia Ramirez and Elladan, Son of Elrond be separated. This is the duty we entrust to you. You _will_ see it done; and you will tell no one of this meeting."

Dawn gulped. There really weren't any ifs, ands, or buts that seemed acceptable at this time. She nodded at Lórien's words and Elrohir did the same.

The two Valar disappeared and she was left staring at Elrohir. He noticed her worried expression. "Fret not. If Sofia loved this man as much as she did, then she will be happy to have him back. This is a great gift of the Valar, they are not always so…" he struggled to find the right word, "generous."

"I guess," Dawn said uncertainly. "This still feels wrong."

"They are the Valar. They do what is in the best interest of the world. If one couple can wreck such havoc then it is not meant to be. Not to mention, Sofia will get her husband back and therefore Erik the innocent man will have his body back. Isn't that worth it?"

Dawn swallowed the lump in her throat. Her insides burned with guilt. She was doing a good thing, she told herself. She was giving Erik his life back and Sofia her husband. And then she won't even have to worry about an immortal/mortal relationship. That's a good thing, right?

Then why did it feel so wrong?

----------------

_**Dearest readers:**_ I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I don't usually change character perspectives but I just got done reading some Patricia Briggs, liked how she used it, and have been wanting to do it for a while. Thus, enter Dawn.

Also, I know I was churning out chapters and then I stopped for a week at least… I've been a bit of a sad panda because I am officially unemployed. Definite lameness and my muse took a vacation (I think she was just tired of eating cheap pasta everyday…lol). So can't promise how often chapters will come; searching for jobs online doesn't make me feel like going on the computer and typing very much. But stick in there! There is much more to happen and Sofia's tale will be told! In the meantime, throw some prayers & positive thoughts my way :)

_-Adanith- (elvish) human woman_

-.org/wiki/E%C3%A4rendil : Story of Eärendil

-Edain (elvish) mankind

- .net/~jfgm/valaquenta/texts/10% - Interesting page I found discussing each of the Valar. Used it while writing because I liked the explanations. Cross-referencing it with my other sources it seems fairly accurate.


	43. Wishing Upon A Star

**Chapter 43: Wishing Upon a Star**

The late summer air whipped through my hair as my newly acquired steed galloped through the empty field. I clenched Mirima's reins tightly to keep myself holding on. Observing my forty-nine companions, it appeared I was the only one having a nervous breakdown. Gritting my teeth, I closed my eyes and tried to think of happy things. Fluffy bunnies, Denzel Washington, my kitty Chewbacca.

Ugh. No use.

I hated riding a horse. No, not hate exactly. I detested and despised it. When I was five years old my parents took me to the Cuyahoga county fair. It was a great time: cotton candy, petting zoo, and the feris wheel. Until they took me for a pony ride.

Unfortunately I got to ride the Pony of Death. I don't believe that was his real name, but its his infamous name in all of my family stories; my parents love to tell this story, now that years have passed and its not as scary for them anymore.

When I got on the Pony of Death he started walking slowly around in the circle like most ponies. But I was already freaked out. I mean, riding an animal that is at least three times your size? Matters got worse when a passerby accidentally dropped his lit ciggarette right on my pony's bum. The Pony of Death completely flipped out and started running, with me along for the ride. Of course I ended up falling, but it gets worse. In his state of franticness the pony actually stepped on my arm and broke it.

Thanks to the Pony of Death I got a concussion, a broken arm, and an illogical fear of big animals.

I practically begged Aragorn, who was in charge of this mission alongside Haldir, if I could summon a portal and bring back a SUV. He declined once Haldir told him how noisy and dirty the vehicles were back in my home dimension. Hence, it was the life of a cowgirl for me.

Elladan rode up beside me and gave me an encouraging smile. "Doing alright?" he asked.

I sighed dramatically. "I suppose I am still alive, so that counts for something." Elladan just laughed and shook his head. I had told him the tale of the Pony of Death the other week so he knew this was hard for me. Of course, that did not stop him from relentlessly teasing me.

It was okay though. I really didn't mind him teasing me. Since that night one month ago when we both opened up to each other we've been becoming closer and closer. The highlight of my day are the moments I spend with him, which luckily for me includes the majority of my day. We have all our meals together with the rest of our group (the group that typically includes Vi, Dawn, Aragorn, Amras, Arwen, Ariellen, Haldir, Rumil, and Orophin), we train together during the day, and our nights are spent at our Rendevous Tree where we just hang out or watch movies on the solar-powered laptop I gave him.

To my right I noticed Amras had rode up beside me and Vi was close behind. I hid a smile at the sight of them together. There was a general feeling between the rest of our friends that those two were certainly developing something, but thus far they hadn't divulged much. Which is fine by me, everyone operates on a different time table.

"Sofia, do you see that?" called Amras urgently. Nearby riders looked at him in curiosity as he pointed towards the horizon.

My eyes narrowed as I tried to notice whatever he was pointing to. "No," I shook my head.

"Ahh! It's the Pony of Death! Someone save us!" Dramatically he raised his sword and pretended to charge in that direction.

Our whole band of riders began a chorus of laughter at his antics and I felt an awful urge to pull a jousting move and knock him off his horse. I gave everyone a wiltering stare. "Very funny, everyone. Highly mature, Amras."

He rode back and gave me an apologetic look. "Sofia, Sofia," he said in a soothing voice. "Its so hard to resist when you make teasing you so easy."

I gave him a hard look and raised my eye brows. "Easy?" I scoffed. "You mean like your mother?"

I heard Vi and Dawn chuckling behind me but no one else seemed to get it. Amras gave me a bewildered look. "How could my mother be easy? Obviously you do not know my mother. She is a rather difficult woman to live with; while growing up she was constantly hovering over me."

Turning around, I gave Vi and Dawn an exasperated look. "Okay, that does it. Once we take care of these guys we are *_so_* taking everyone back home to watch a marathon of movies and tv shows."

Vi laughed. "You just hate it because they never think you are funny in this dimension because of all your random pop-culture references."

Amras' eyes glinted with humor and though he tried for nonchalance, I could see laughter bubbling inside him. "No, Vi, that's not true. We happen to find Sofia very funny," he paused and added, "looking."

I screamed mock-outrage as he galloped away away from me. "Of course, that is something that you would have in your humor vocabularly!" Once again I glared at those around me. "You know, I would chase you all down if I wasn't so damn scared of this horse!"

My back straightened, my chin jutted out, and I tried for a look of refinement. Underneath the surface, however; I was laughing as well. A sense of relief came over me. We had been traveling for five days and would reach Mavlar's lair in just two days. Whenever warriors go to battle there is always an undercurrent of anxiety and tension before facing the unknown. The knowledge that in battle it is rare for everyone to come home alive is hidden in the back of each warrior's mind. That knowledge speaks to us unbidden and, if allowed, threatens our sense of calm as its tendrils of darkness wrap themselves around us.

Humor is an effective way to cut those tendrils from strangling our sense of calm. One of my self-claimed roles in a group setting has always been to assist my comrades in that area by making the jokes or allowing the jokes made on me. Its why I liked Amras. As second-in-command to Aragorn he got it. In that area of philosophy we were one the same wavelength and I cared not for any jokes he made on my behalf.

"Alright everyone, enough of the jokes for now,' shouted Aragorn. "The moon rises and we must make camp here. After that you can all make fun of Sofia."

"Everyone's a comedian," I grumbled.

*************************************************************

The fire around us crackled and popped like the Rice Krispie elves. My back leaned against Elladan and his arms were wrapped around me securely. Across from us Vi and Amras were holding a quiet discussion and Dawn was speaking to one of wardens on the topic of magick. We had just ate and I allowed myself a moment to relax against Elladan. Although war awaited us, this moment was calm and I took comfort in its serenity.

In a sick way, I didn't want to the war to end so quickly. Because once it did I would have to leave Elladan and return back to reality.

Immediately I chastised myself for thinking such a vile thought. We will be lucky if this battle ends quickly and I should not wish otherwise, not even in the depths of my being. I nestled further into Elladan's embrac and stroked his hand. Queserá sera; Whatever will be, will be.

"What thoughts swirl in that mind of yours, _Lirimaer__?" asked Elladan._

_"Nothing." I sighed as I remembered our promise to be open with one another. "The future," I edited._

_"Ah." He gave me a kiss on the top of my head. "Happy thoughts or bad thoughts?"_

_I frowned. "A mixture of both."_

_"Do you wish to discuss it?"_

_I turned around and looked him in the eyes. "I believe it's a bad omen to discuss the future prior to battle. Let us wait until afterwards, once we know we both have a future to discuss."_

_His brows furrowed with worry. "Understood." _

_We were silent for a moment and listened to the sounds of the camp. Soon the fifty of us would head to sleep and awake at dawn for the rest of the journey. Plans were still up in the air as to what would happen when we got to Mavlar's lair. Likely, we would send scouts out but thus far our sources said the lair was an underground labyrinth and Mavlar's orcs numbered at thirty. They should be easy to take but one can never be sure when there is magick. Likely James the Master Vampire would be there as well. My hands flexed instinctively at the thought of battling a Master._

_In the last five years I have seen a lot and been tested against great foes. But a Master Vampire? That kill would certainly be a feather in my cap. Partly because from the get-go I looked up to Buffy; all the slayers had. To be able to conquer a vile creature similar to the one she had slayed would make me feel worthy to work beside her; worthy to call myself a Vampire Slayer._

_"Brother!' exclaimed Elladan. I looked up and saw Elrohir approaching us. "Come join us before all that is left are dying embers." Observing Elladan, I could see the way his eyes lit up at the sight of his brother. It bothered me greatly to see the pain that Elladan felt now that his brother often avoided him. I would have hoped that by now he would have gotten over it. After all, Elladan and I have been in a relationship for seven weeks now and it's been public notice for at over a month._

_Elrohir gave his brother a brief smile. "Sorry dear brother but I came to speak with Dawn. About the spells for the battle," he added._

_I gave Dawn a discerning look. She had jumped when Elrohir said her name and looked nervous._

_"Sure," she squeaked. Dawn cleared her throat and stood up. "Okay, after you Master Elf."_

_Once they were gone the four of us exchanged bemused glances. "Okay, what was that about?" asked Vi._

_"She's been acting weird lately. Ever since the day before we left."_

_Amras laughed. "She does seem to be a peculiar girl."_

_"But more peculiar than normal. I've been feeling like she's hiding something because she's been so jumpy."_

_"Do you think," began Vi with a gleam in her eye, "that there may be something going on between those two? This is not the first time I've seen them go off together. In the last couple days I've caught them in some quiet, intense conversations."_

_"Well that would certainly be ironic," I commented. Elladan had a strange look in his eye. I bumped my shoulder into him. "What do you think, Elladan?"_

_"I'm not sure," he mused. "It's odd. Typically I can feel Elladan's emotions fairly easily. But in the last few days, since the day before we left, actually, he's been blocking me out. I cannot truly tell his reason for spending time with Dawn."_

_"Do you think there's some romance in the air for your brother?" inquired Vi._

_Elladan rolled his shoulders in a graceful shrug. "In this case your guess is as good as mine. My brother has abstained from the fairer sex for a number of years. In all honesty, I have not seen him fall for a maiden since the death of his beloved almost 2,000 years ago."_

_"That's so sad," murmured Vi. "She must have been quite extraordinary for him to still hold a candle for her."_

_Elladan nodded with an expressionless face but I could see the sorrow in his eyes at the mention of his brother's one-time love. "Yes, he loved her very much."_

_"What was she like?" questioned Vi, the ultimate romantic. _

_I rubbed his thigh soothingly and Elladan gave a soft laugh. "I admit, I did not know her very well; about as well as Elrohir knows Sofia. But over the years I have heard many stories of her. She had a fair face that upon first notice did not seem beautiful. But as one got to know her, the brilliance of her smile and strength of her charm made her appear as one of the most lovely creatures in Imladris, our home. She had a great love of nature and was often seen in the gardens. Eru _Ilúvatar had gifted her with a special connection with all growing things and it was even speculated that the Vala named Kementári spoke to her and gave her the gift of words to protect and grow the flora of our lands."

I was a bit taken aback by Elladan's description of her. She sounded like a great elleth! Why didn't he like her?

He seemed to guess what I was saying for he gave a small shrug and said quietly to me, "I was young, I was jealous, and I think that is where my seeds of dislike grew."

I mused silently and for the first time a great feeling of empathy for Elrohir came over me. Once again I had to remind myself that he was no two-dimensional character who simply disliked me, but he had endured great swells of grief at losing his beloved. I am sure seeing Elladan with me caused him to remember his grief and perhaps jealously that his brother Elladan had; something that Elladan had taken from Elrohir, in a way. I looked up into the starry sky and from the depths of my heart I said a prayer that Elrohir would find love like he had once had and that the brothers could once again be as close as they used to be.

***************************************************************

_**(Elrohir's POV)**_

Elrohir could hear Dawn stomping behind him. Once they were safely away and out of hearing distance she began to speak. "Elrohir," she hissed. "Obvious much? My God, you are so not suave."

"What?" His eyes flared at her tone of voice. "Well, how else am I supposed to get your attention when you are constantly with them? Besides, you were the one who jumped a yard when I asked to speak to you." Elrohir's mouth set in a grim line as he glared at the young being in front of him. Regardless if she was an adult in human years, he had no idea why she lacked a great deal of manners. Why did these Adanith have to be so troublesome?

"I did *not* jump a yard!," she retorted sharply. "Besides, how about next time you casually wait until everyone goes to sleep?" Her thin lips lowered ina frown and her green eyes glinted with anger.

Elrohir took a deep breath and maintained his calm. He was, after all, over 2,000 years old and surely his patience could withstand one twenty-two year old girl. "My apologies, Dawn. But time is running out. We were mandated five days ago to break up those two before the rise of Thuringwethil. I do not know when she will rise; especially since our goal is to get to Mavlar before he can resurrect her. But we have not made any progress yet."

Dawn closed her eyes and calmed herself down. "Listen, I just thought I would wait until Damian popped out, said that spell, and poof! There would be Erik and Sofia so happy that she would easily leave Middle-Earth and your brother alone."

"How can you be sure she will leave so readily?" he asked skeptically.

"Well, you've never seen her when she was with Erik. That was the love of her life. They were always all over each other."

Elrohir bit his lip and tried to push back the feelings of guilt that threatened him everytime he thought of taking Elladan's happiness. "All over each other… Like how Sofia and Elladan are?"

"No." She paused and reflected. "Um, well. Damn." She began to wring her fingers nervously and pace. "I don't *_think_* so. Erik and Sofia were together for a whole year so it was different."

He was afraid to ask the next question but he did, regardless. "Does Sofia treat Elladan like she did Erik?"

Dawn let out a deep sign and lowered herself to sit cross-legged on the ground. "The way she looks at Elladan…Sometimes I think she feels deeper for Elladan than she did for Erik. Or at least on the same level, but maybe differently." As Elrohir sat down next to her Dawn looked him straight in the eye. "Are you sure we are doing the right thing?"

Leaning on his hands, Elrohir looked to the night sky for counsel. "Elbereth, please grant us guidance," he said softly to Queen of Stars. He turned to Dawn and placed his hand upon hers in reassurance. They had been meeting several times over the last five days in secret discussing and arguing their mandate. Today he had finally realized what she had been fighting him on.

"A part of me fears you are correct, Dawn. Never before have I seen my brother so happy as he is with your friend. Guilt threatens to eat me alive at the thought of taking that away from him. Yet, how can we left it go on if the world shall suffer? Not to mention, how can their relationship be? They are from different worlds and I do not want to see my brother give up his immortality for her and leave my family. Furthermore, if, as I have heard, Sofia dies young as so many slayers do then he will be heartbroken; even if he keeps his immortality." His voice cracked slightly at the thought of his brother wounded in such a way.

A tear slid down his cheek and he turned quickly so the young witch could not bear witness to it. Inner turmoil threatened to make him instable if he did not come to terms with this dilemma.

He startled when a cautious hand wrapped around his back in an awkward hug. "Please don't cry," Dawn said in a motherly tone. "We will figure this out."

Elrohir allowed himself that brief respite from his solitary life; allowed himself to feel a female's embrace and smell the sweetness of her skin. But then he pulled out of the embrace. "Unfortunately, I do not think there is anything to figure out. We must do as the Fëanturi commanded us. Their understanding of the world is far greater than ours so we must put our trust in them."

Dawn sighed and hugged her knees to her chest. "Fine," she said in a defeated tone.

"We must do what we can to divide them. Remember, the sooner the better. They will appreciate that gesture of kindness in the future."

Elrohir stood up and wiped the grass from his feet. He began walking back to camp with a renewed purpose. After a few moments he felt himself pause and turned to look back at Dawn. She sat kneeling in the ground absentmindedly twirling a blade of grass. Her yellow elven gown reflected the light of the campfire and she appeared so small kneeling there. It seemed that her long, honey-blond locks waved gently in the breeze; almost beckoning him to look at her further.

A strong memory arose from the depths of his soul. He had thought this memory had been locked up tight, never to be seen again, but it came at him with such force he caught his breathe. Almost two-hundred years ago he had seen an elven maiden wearing a yellow gown that complimented her golden locks. As he patrolled the woods he had found her speaking to a tree and encouraging it to grow even though lightning had damaged it badly. In that one moment he had loved her; loved her beauty, her simplicity, and her inherent kindness.

His jaw clenched as he forced that memory back down. She was gone to him now. He turned furiously away from Dawn. Although it was not logical, he was suddenly angry at her for bringing the memory of his deceased beloved back to him. For a moment she resembled his love, but that was it.

Nothing more.

----------------------------------

**A/N:**

-**Mirima** - (elvish name)- Free

_-__**Imladris**__- aka Rivendell; the home of Elrond _

_-_**Kementári**** /****Yavanna-** Vala; Queen of the Earth and Giver of Fruits, spouse of Aulë, also called Kementári. She created the Two Trees, and is responsible for the Olvar and Kelvar (plants and animals). It was she who requested the creation of the Ents, as she feared for the safety of the trees once her husband had created the Dwarves. The Two Lamps are created by Aulë at Yavanna's request, and their light germinates the seeds that she had planted. Following the destruction of the Two Lamps by Melkor and the withdrawal of the Valar to Aman, Yavanna sang into being the Two Trees of Valinor.

-**Elbereth/Varda**- Queen of the Stars, spouse of Manwë, entitled Elentári in Quenya and Elbereth Gilthoniel in Sindarin. She kindled the first stars before the Ainur descended into the world, and later brightened them with the gold and silver dew from the Two Trees. Melkor feared and hated her the most, because she rejected him before Time.

_-( Vala descriptions taken straight from wikipedia)_


	44. MyButterfliesDoMoreCrackThanTyroneBiggum

**Chapter 44: My Butterflies Do More Crack Than Tyrone Biggums**

It was day six of our journey and I was irritated as all hell. Movies make it look fascinating but in reality traveling for days on a horse is bloody exhausting and painful. My thighs were feeling thoroughly chafed, my hands had rope burn from the reins, and my chest hurt from not wearing a sports bra. A part of me wanted to complain out loud but I didn't dare.

Silence and tension had taken over the mood of our company. Several hours past we found the remains of an orc slaughter. It appeared a family of eight had taken the journey and none, not even the toddler, had made it out alive. Based on the freshness of the bodies we had only missed the attack by a couple hours.

I cringed at the thought of their last moments. Orcs were vile, disgusting creatures. It pained all of us to know that had we made haste this morning we could have prevented it. Yes, it is doubtful in reality that we could have gone any faster than we had, but that did not prevent the feeling of guilt in a warrior's heart.

By getting lost in my melancholy thoughts I almost did not notice the commotion up ahead. Haldir had spotted something in the hills and an eager conversation began. My muscles tensed as I scanned the hills for danger. But I could not see anything. Damn human eyesight. Slayer or not, I couldn't compete against an elf.

As we neared the hill I saw a large black bear standing on its hind legs. I gave a startled yelp.

Elladan gave me a curious glance. "Sofia, what was that?"

"Sorry,' I said sheepishly. "I'm just not used to seeing wild animals so close. They kinda freak me out."

"Freak you out? But I thought you were a big, bad Slayer," Elladan grinned. I swear, if he wasn't so damn attractive I would sew his lips together to prevent his teasing grins. Of course, that would make kissing him less fun…

I stuck my tongue out at him instead. "I *_am_* a big, bad Slayer. But I'm also a City Girl. Demons I can do, wild, scary animals? Ah, not so much."

Elladan started laughing. "Trust me, _Lirimaer__. You will not have to worry about a wild bear attack." He pointed to the hills._

_My eyes were startled to see a tall man standing there instead. "But where… Where did the bear go? That guy better be careful! Wild animals are territorial and he could get attacked."_

_By now Elladan and I had rode up beside Aragorn and Haldir. They heard my comment and the three of them, plus several other rangers and elves, gave in to deep, hearty laughter. "What?" I asked in puzzlement. "Not that I'm trying to be all National Geographic on y'all, but it's an important thing to note."_

_Haldir turned to me and I saw he had tears in his eyes from laughing. Damn him. "Sofia," he grinned, "meet my friend Beorn."_

_The company halted as the large man named Beorn walked towards us. He was built like a linebacker and his hair appeared as wild as our surroundings. Thick, wavy brown hair went to his shoulders and a coarse, bushy beard covered the lower half of his face. His smile made him appear friendly but there was an edge of wildness to him._

_I felt unsettled and once again disliked not knowing what was going on. I watched as Haldir jumped from his horse and embraced Beorn._

_"Friend Haldir! It is good to see you once more."_

_"As it is good to see you, my friend." _

_"Tell me; what brings you and your fifty closest friends to my neck of the woods?" He reviewed all of us and smiled openly._

_"We ride for battle, Beorn. To be honest, I was not planning to stop by had I not seen you up there."_

_"Battle, eh? Hmm. I have not seen much orc activity since a month and a half ago."_

_Haldir looked interested. "What did you see?"_

_"There was a large caravan of orcs who cut their path in my territory heading upwards. As I told one of your Loth_lórien scouts the other week the Beornings and I were unable to do much about it since we were outnumbered."

"We can only do as much as we are able, friend. Thank you for distributing that information to my scouts."

"In dark times such as these we must rely on our allies, it was my pleasure to help serve the cause." Beorn turned to look at all of us. "Haldir, I notice men ride with you and I assume they to be Rangers. But when did the Marchwarden of _Loth_lórien begin traveling with women?"

I bristled and hoped this wasn't going to turn into a sexist thing. Nearby I saw both Vi and Dawn straightening their shoulders.

Haldir chuckled and replied, "These are not just any women but Vampire Slayers and a witch from another world. I have seen them in action and," Haldir winked in my direction, "they are assuredly powerful warriors."

My heart warmed at Haldir's words. It's always nice to have a male peer compliment your skills on the field. But it irked me he was telling our life story. In a case where we are foreigners in a strange world I didn't think it was prudent to advertise that information. "Ah, Hal? Maybe you shouldn't be telling our secrets to everyone." I raised an eyebrow and shrugged a shoulder in an attempt for nonchalance.

For his part, Haldir bit back a smile. "Beorn's ancestor is the one who saved me from that orc attack hundreds of years ago. We have long been allies with his people and they are entirely trustworthy."

Beorn flashed me a toothy grin that managed to be seen through his tangled beard.

"Ah, okay." I trusted Haldir with my life and if he said Beorn was cool, then he was cool. "You might want to be careful though, Beorn. I spotted a giant black bear back on the hill and just thought you might like a head's up.

Again I was faced with a chorus of laughter and Beorn's booming laugh. "Oh, dear woman. That was truly funny. I assume our beloved Marchwarden put you up to that?"

"Put me up to what?" I asked in exasperation.

He gave Haldir a sidelong glance. "You mean she doesn't know?" Haldir shook his head no.

I looked to Vi and Dawn for support but they seemed just as clueless. I turned back to Beorn and he gave me a tender smile.

"Since I know what you are, perhaps I can explain myself since your host has been neglectful. My great ancestor, also named Beorn, was a man who could take the shape of a bear. The people of our line, the Beornings, inherited that magic and we can turn into bears as we please."

"Whoa," said Vi.

"No fucking way," I added. That seemed like a crazy concept… Well, okay. Maybe that was a quick judgment. I mean, is anything in my life _ever_ normal?

Luckily Beorn seemed to find our reactions amusing. He stood back from Haldir and closed his eyes. At once the air seemed to shimmer around him. His nails extended, his nose elongated, fur sprouted across his body, and suddenly I was staring in shock at a black bear.

I didn't know what to say. Never before had I seen a human shape shift in front of me. "Alright then," I breathed out. "You can be a bear." I nodded as I took it all in and just stared in silence at the magnificent creature before me.

Haldir laughed. "Our Sofia is not usually this quiet, for that alone I am grateful for your presence friend!" Beorn the bear made this laughing-growling noise and waved at me.

In spite of Haldir's insult I had to laugh and wave back at Beorn.

Haldir leapt onto his steed and motioned us forward. It was mid-day and we still had ground to cover before we could make camp.

Once again I tightened my grip on Mirima's reins and prayed that the time to make camp would come soon enough. Although Mirima was nothing like my experience with the Pony of Death I was still fairly uncomfortable riding. Glancing over at Elladan I mused how much more fun this trip could have been if we could have just shared a horse.

His hair was tightly braided against his scalp but the ends flowed freely in the wind. I longed to ditch my horse to share with him. A giggle at my movie-type fantasy came out quietly and I saw Vi, who was beside me at this point, give me a look.

"What's so funny?" she asked with a knowing smile. Damn, I think she also caught me staring at Elladan. I'm about as obvious as a teenage girl sometimes.

In reply I just smiled innocently and shrugged my shoulders.

Her eyes narrowed and I knew it was driving her crazy not to know what I was thinking. Unfortunately, we have not spent as much time together in Lothlórien as I would have liked. There were plenty of group activities and training but it often seemed that either I was with Elladan or she was doing a sneaky rendezvous of her own.

Vi motioned back with a twist of her neck and I raised my eyebrow in question. She gave me her infamous sparkling smile that meant she wanted some gossip time. Glancing around I saw that Dawn was, once again, speaking to Elrohir, and no one else seemed to be taking notice of us. Gradually we slowed our horses until we were at the back of the company. In a casual manner we gave ourselves enough space between us and the company so no pesky elves could hear us but we would be alerted in case of a warning.

"Okay lady, it's been a while since we've had one-on-one gossip time," Vi started off.

I chuckled. "Vi! We're on the way to battle. It's not exactly quality sleepover time to play 'Dream Date'. I tried to give her a stern look and it resulted in a staring contest.

It's kind of like with wild animals; you have to stare at the other until one acknowledges the other as a dominant and loses. I didn't really mind a gossip time at the moment but I sure as hell was going to make Vi fight for it a little; just for the fun of it.

Her emerald eyes were narrowed and her pink lips were curled into a devilish grin that screamed, 'I'm winning this.' Although her sun-lightened red locks only reached the top of her neck, her bangs flew in her face. Since she was taller than me I had to raise my brown eyes to meet hers. For a minute we silently stared. Until she stuck her tongue out at me and I started laughing.

"I win!" she shouted gleefully.

"Yeah, yeah," I rolled my eyes. "And what will you choose as your prize, Ms. Day?"

"Details!" she squealed. "It's been faaaar too long since we've talked about you and Elladan."

I smirked. "Only if you talk about you and Amras." I laughed as her face reddened.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Ms. Ramirez. You must have your brain all confused by all this bouncing up and down on a horse."

"If this was a sleepover, this would totally be the part where I throw a pillow at you."

Now it was her turn to smirk. "What a shame there are no pillows. Anyways, on to Elladan."

"Nuh-uh," I shook my head. "I have been *such* the good, patient friend. Normally you blab immediately about all your new men-"

"I do not!" she exclaimed.

Giving her a hard look I asked, "Really, Vi? How about when-"

"Okay, okay. Never mind. Continue."

"Thank you. Anyways, since you haven't been blabbing about Amras I figured there was a reason so I have been patiently awaiting for juicy details. But no more. Spill!"

Vi gave me a bashful look. "Well, I know I joked before coming here about finding a hot elf. But I didn't really expect to find a hot Ranger man." She laughed. "Honestly, Sofia, I don't know. I haven't been telling you anything because it's so freaking crazy! It's like something out of one of my romance novels."

"Really?" I asked in a surprised voice.

"Really," she stated.

Call me a bad friend, but I was skeptical. Vi was always too quick to lose herself to love. "How so?"

"You think I'm crazy," she accused; but her face was still friendly.

"No!" I exclaimed. "Nooo. I don't." I felt the pressure of her eyes staring at me. "Well, okay homie. You know there have been a lot of times where you have spoken about a guy like this. Its kind of… your thing." I shot her a smile to show her I didn't mean my words to have a negative reaction."

Vi looked ahead towards the rest of our party and then looked back to me. She was suddenly serious. "Sof, I know that when it comes to guys I can get a *_bit_* out of hand. I'm always quick to fall for them, even when they are so not the right person. And I'm always quick to admit my feelings about them. But I guess the reason why I haven't talked to you about Amras is because I'm not really comfortable talking about my feelings for him."

Wait, that sounds… strange. "Huh?"

She gave a short laugh. "Am I being Nonsensical Girl?"

"A bit," I admitted.

'Okay, let me try this again. I've been thinking about this during our trip since there's lots of time to think while we ride. And I think I've had an epiphany of sorts."

I was intrigued. "Do tell, _mi amor_."

Taking a deep breath she began speaking quickly, as if she had to throw the words off her tongue before she lost the nerve. "So it's like this. You know I'm a romantic, everyone knows that. When my parents divorced when I was in high school I longed for my White Knight to sweep me off my feet and give me a life of devotional love and commitment so I would not be unhappy like my mother. Cause, well, you know since I've told you this before, but my mom got super depressed after my dad left and broke her heart."

"So we started reading romance novels together because it was one way to give her hope, not to mention I was drawn to the idea of 'true love'. Every time I start dating a new guy I look for those things and maybe, just maybe," she smiled, "embellish all the good things about him. Because I *want* him to be my White Knight."

Feeling compelled to interrupt I said, "You know you don't *need* a man, right?"

"Sooofia. You sound like my Women's Studies professor." She shook her head. "I know that, truly I do. I don't need a man. But I want one. I yearn for somebody to come home too. But," she held up a finger, "let me get back to my story."

I nodded. I felt kind of bad interrupting, but it was an important point.

"But while I embellish the good things about the guy I usually try to ignore the bad things. Until they blow up in my face." She gave me a thoughtful look. "But with Amras my first instinct is not to embellish all the good things in girl talk to ya. In fact, it's been the opposite. I'm spending time trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with him."

"Vi, you've got me puzzled beyond all belief. Why are you hunting for the negative?"

"Because he is too damn good to be true!" She held up her hand and ticked off his characteristics. "He's sweet, caring, funny, cuddles, is a warrior, immensely handsome, and seems to really like me. He's utterly perfect." She gave me a wide-eyed look. "There *_has_* to be something wrong with him!"

"Oh, Vi," I sighed. There was a mixture of pain and fear in her green eyes that made me want to jump onto her horse and give her a big hug. "Has it occurred to you that maybe he _is_ that awesome?"

"Yeah," she breathed. "It has. But I don't know. We have this amazing connection. I can't even explain it. It's like," she struggled to form her thoughts into words. "It's like when we first hung out by ourselves, it felt so perfect. Like it was natural; normal. Like we've known each other all our lives."

"Wow, Vi. I had no idea. I knew you two were kicking it on the down-low but I never thought it was to this level of intensity."

She smiled and shrugged. "We agreed to keep it on the DL. The emotions have been so intense for both of us I think we thought it would be better to resolve it ourselves than tell everyone. Besides, we both saw the negative reaction you and Elladan had."

I shrugged; I tried to pretend that didn't hurt when it did. "Yeah, well that was just one person."

"True. Nonetheless, we thought it would be easier to stay out of the gossip that seems to swarm that elven city."

Chuckling, I met her eyes. "There is quite a bit of gossip, isn't there?" I knew we were both thinking of Ariellan, the males talking during training, or the one elleth in particular who mended clothing at a nearby shop.

I tried to think of some good advice to give to my friend. "Vi, first I am really happy for you that Amras makes you happy."

"Thanks Sof," she grinned brightly.

"Second, I think you should stop trying to find negatives and just go with the flow. Who knows what will happen."

"True."

We both rode in reflective silence for a while until Vi spoke again. "Now what about you and Elladan? Seven weeks is a long time. Before Erik that was kind of a record for you."

My mouth widened in shock. "No it wasn't!" I laughed.

Vi gave me a Look. "Uh huh. I'm sorry; I must have confused you with my other friend, Super Afraid of Commitment Girl who can run away from relationships faster than a speeding bullet."

We both laughed, although in the depths of my being that comment stung a little. More or less, I know who I am… Having it pointed out by a friend can be a painful and unwelcome reminder.

… Even if it is a good point. Grr-arrgh.

"Yeah, yeah. Your point?"

"I'm just saying that this is a big deal Sof. Your first relationship since Erik, it's been almost two months, and you both seem really happy."

I just sat there in stony silence.

"Sof?" Vi was giving me a concerned look.

"Um." My stomach tightened as her words repeated in my head. "Fuck, Vi. To be real, I didn't even think of Elladan and I in those terms. Wow." My breathing started to quicken and even though I was on a galloping horse in a meadow I felt the need for some air.

"Sofia, calm down. What's the deal?"

"Vi, I just realized what you said. Wow. I never thought I would find anyone after Erik. And it has been almost two months. And we are happy. This is," I shrugged. "I don't know. Good. Crazy. Weird. Scary."

Vi gave me a grim smile. "I'm feeling you on those adjectives. Especially the word 'scary'. But it *_is_* good, Sof."

"Logically, I know that." I remembered my motto of Que Será Será. "No, you are right. I just need to not get so uptight and go with the flow."

"So how is the flowing and going?"

I smiled as I thought about Elladan. "It is going well."

"That's it? It is going well? Lame! You gotta give up more than that!"

Laughing at her persistent nature I raised my hand in surrender. "Okay, okay, Lemme think." I shrugged. "I dunno, its nothing like I've experienced before. There's this spark between us and he makes me feel… complete."

"Okay Tom Cruise," she gasped between laughter.

I gave her a dirty look. "Now look who is going Girl Interrupted on me. Anyways. Yeah." My cheeks colored. "I don't know how to describe him or my feelings for him. You know I am not good with doing the emotional thing."

"Well riddle me this. Willow asked you this before we left. What kind of butterflies does he give you? Butterflies lazily enjoying a summer day or butterflies high on drugs?"

"My butterflies are so high, they do more crack than Tyrone Biggums." We both laughed at my Chappelle Show reference.

"Really?" she inquired with a smile. "Do you love him?"

"Ah. Love. You know I'm far more comfortable with other four-letter words."

"Oh, I know. If you weren't a slayer you'd fit right in as a Marine."

"Shut up," I giggled.

"Anyways, back to that dreaded four-letter word. Thoughts?" Vi's green eyes observed me and while she was joking I knew all her attention was on my response.

Sighing dramatically I said, "I don't know Vi. I've been trying not to think about it."

"Why?"

"Because I cant."

"Why?"

Growling I answered, "I just can't."

"Why?"

"Vi!," I said in an annoyed tone.

"Hey, for every lame response you deliver I'm going to ask a lame question." She pursed her lips at me and I saw the return of Serious-Faced Vi. Scary.

Biting my lip, I shrugged again. "I just haven't let myself think about it Vi. Simple as that." I saw her lips form the word 'why' and I threw up my hand to stall her. "Vi, if I let myself think about it then I think my heart is going to tell my brain that the answer is yes. But if that happens then that means I'm in love with another man, er, elf. And ultimately," I sighed. I so didn't want to admit this but I knew Vi was going to hang onto this question with more force than a pitbull.

"Ultimately," I began, "I feel like I'm betraying Erik if I love someone else." I kept my eyes down; not wanting to look at her and further make myself vulnerable.

There was a moment of silence before Vi asked, "You do know, logically, that it's okay to love someone else?"

"Logically.. I don't know Vi. I feel guilty. Erik's been gone a year and here I am in the arms of another man, *_happy_*.' I rubbed my temple. "I feel like a bad person," I confessed.

"You are *_not_* a bad person, Sofia Isabella Ramirez. You grieved for your husband for a year. It is awful, but you cannot prevent him from being gone. Erik really loved you and I don't think he would want you to be unhappy as an old maid with twenty cats."

"You're a dork," I snorted.

"True," she smiled. "But dork or not, I am right. It's okay to move on; its okay to love."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Guess? Sof, don't let youself lock up your heart all because your mind tells you it seems like an intelligent thing to do. Love is not about intelligence, love is about passion. You can't lock that stuff up."

I gave her a sidelong look. "You should look into a career as a counselor."

"Oh no, I can only handle a couple crazy folks at a time."

"You calling me crazy?"

"They often say genius is found in insanity."

"Funny, Vi. Funny."

Vi cleared her throat. "Anyways, Ms. Off-Topic. Do you love Elladan?"

I didn't have to search far for her answer. I knew it and have known it for a while. But she was right, I've been trying to lock it up. "Yes, I do."

"Woo!," she squealed in delight. "Oh yeah!" She smiled at me and began singing 'That's Amore.'

I shook my head in feigned embrassment but my heart felt lighter and happier. Sometimes Vi gets on my nerves with her persistent nature but she is a pretty good therapist.

"Next question," she said with a mischieveous gleam in her eyes. "Have you two… ya know?"

"Violet Day! You are a wicked girl to think of such things. You know I am a good Catholic girl."

Vi fake coughed "Liar!" under her breath. I gave her a dirty look. "Ahem. Dirt in the air…Must have triggered an allergic reaction… To bullshit!" She laughed wildly.

"Hey, now. Okay, perhaps I embellished by calling myself a good Catholic girl." Since Vi bunked in my room for a month while I was dating Erik she knew I ignored that one rule about premarital sex. Well okay, there are a few of my Catholic rules that I ignore. Guess I'll have to remember to do some Hail Marys when I'm back in my world.

"Anyways," I continued, "we have been good. Some hot and heavy kissing and touching but we are fully clothed at all times!"

"Good for you!" she laughed.

"In all honesty, its kind of related to what we were talking about earlier. One, I can't have sex with someone I don't love and I wasn't ready to admit that's how I feel about him. Two, that guilt of seeing someone after Erik has prohibited me from pursusing more intimate relations with Elladan."

"Hmm," Vi mused. "Has he pushed it?"

"No, I think we both know without speaking it that we want to hold off on the intimatcy. Elves do have sex outside of marriage, I mean they live for so bloody long, but Haldir was telling me that in commited relationships they prefer to preserve it until after they are united."

Vi's eyes widened. "You think Elladan wants to marry you?" she asked in alarm.

"No! No, I don't think so. But he knows my past and I think he knows I'm not ready."

"Are you ready now?" she asked with a sly grin.

"Violet! You are being awfully naughty today," I laughed. "I don't know. I definitely want to but…" I trailed off. "I think I may wait until the craziness dies down. Cause I'm thinking that once we do have sex there is no way I will be able to not have sex with him for some time." I winked at her. "What about you, missy? You and Amras shaking up the sheets?"

"Oh no! He's really old-fashioned. I don't think we're near that point, which is fine with me. But I just wanted to live vicariously through you."

"Sorry to disappoint," I said dryly.

"Yes, you are utterly disappointing. See, I'm so used to working with Faith and I guess I was hoping for interesting stories of her caliber."

"I don't think I could ever be of Faith's caliber."

"True, true." Vi pulled her horse closer to mine and grabbed my hand. "I'm really glad we had a chance to talk. Its been driving me crazy not telling you about Amras and just, stuff in general."

I squeezed her hand. "You know I hate talking about feelings, but you are one of the few people I feel okay talking to. I'm glad we got to have our own secret rendevzous."

"Should we meet up with everyone else?, Vi asked.

"Probably. As two of the three women we probably are easy to miss."

"Sounds good to me. Besides, now you can get back to staring at Elladan." She kicked her horse and rode ahead of me, laughing all the way.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

'Dream Date': early 90s teenage girl board game. hilARious haha.

_mi amor- _Spanish- My dear or my love.

_Lirimaer- __Elvish- Lovely one_


	45. OOooOO SHINY!

**Chapter 45**: **OOooOO... SHINY!**

**A/N: **

This chapter is dedicated to grd who wanted Sofia to get a kick-ass item (to be described below) & Angwen, because she guessed Haldir's confession back in chapter 28!

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

It was our final night before the battle tomorrow and the atmosphere of our camp was silent and serious. People deal with stress in different ways but I have yet to meet a group of warriors who are not at least a bit solemn before a fight. Me, however; I am not much of the strong, silent type. The quiet of the crowd was getting to me but it's not like I could really go anywhere else. No movie theatres to escape from reality here in good 'ol Middle Earth.

I was lying on my back and stretching my leg back until it was even with my face. After riding for so long I needed to stretch every day so my legs didn't fall off, because it would probably be hard to fight demons in a wheelchair.

"Sofia, are you busy?" I looked up to see Haldir standing in front of my with his hands behind his back.

Sitting up, I tucked my legs underneath me. "Hey Hal! What's up? Have a seat," I gestured to the grassy area beside me.

"Actually, I'll remain standing." He grinned and kept his arms behind his back. "It would be awful to let you see the present too soon."

Clapping my hands with glee I giggled. "Ooh! Presents! Gimme gimme gimme!"

Haldir laughed and his eyes twinkled in the light from the stars. "Hold on now little Slayer. I think I should make you work for this so I'm going to make you guess."

"Aww," I pouted. "I suck at this game. Do I get clues?"

"You may ask three questions." Haldir seemed very pleased with the minor torture he was going to enforce upon me.

"Well," I mused. "Is it bigger than a breadbox?"

Haldir's face crinkled in confusion. "I have no idea what that is Sofia."

I rolled my eyes at him. "It's often the first question people use in this type of guessing game." I sighed. "Silly elves and their lack of technological devices like breadboxes. Anyways," I gave him a piercing look, "let's start over. Is it shiny? You know I love shiny things."

"Yes, it is very shiny."

"Woo! Ok, is something I want or something I need? Because there is a fine difference between the two, as I have observed upon many Christmases when my Tia Angelica always gives me socks and other boring things."

He cocked his head to the side and took a moment to think. "Actually, I believe this is both something you want and something you need."

"How perplexing." I made a show of stroking my chin. "Does anyone else have one of it?"

"Yes and no."

"Hal! That's not a fair answer." I shot him a mock-glare.

He laughed. "Yes, others own the type of present but nothing exactly like it."

"Aw, I am so awful at this game. It's shiny, I want and need it, and people have one but not like this one. Is it a weapon?"

"That is quite a general answer but I will give you your prize nonetheless." Haldir beamed at me and whipped a sword from behind his back. The item in question glinted under the light of the moon and was three feet long. Jumping up I grabbed the handle from him and stared at it in amazement. The handle felt right nestled in the curve of my palm and the weight was perfect; I could lift it easily but it weighed enough to hew my enemies. Embedded in the handle was a brilliant red gem that seemed to blaze with its own light. Holding it against the moon I looked at the edges and ran my finger lightly over it. It was sharp, extremely sharp.

"Oooo… Shiny!" I gasped while staring at the sword. "Hal, this is beautiful."

"It is a gift I have been working on over the last forty days or so since your fight with Bregolien who broke your sword. I felt awful that your prized possession was broken as a result of the ignorance of one of my wardens and I did not want to see you enter battle with something more powerful. It is a fine elvish blade and carries some elven magic within it that will serve you greatly in battle. I have named her 'Baudhiel'."

I tore my eyes away from my gift to give him a questioning look. "Bow-thee-ell?"

He gave me a nod of satisfaction. "In elvish Baudhiel means 'judgment'. The ruby I placed in there because I know how you like shiny things," we laughed, "but I also meant for it to be your sword's eye of judgment."

Turning back to my sword I gave it the lightest of kisses along the broad side. "Baudhiel, you and I will see to the judgment of all orcs and bad beasties that have given in to evil." I closed my eyes and could sense the sword humming with power. Now, I own a lot of weapons that I've been collecting over the past five years. But nothing at all like this. This sword pulsated with power and a tear of overwhelming feeling parted from the captivity of my eye.

Bending down I gently lay Baudhiel on the grass and then stood up to look into Haldir's eyes. An overwhelming surge of love came through me when I looked at him. I held his face between my hands and softly spoke. "Haldir, this is the most amazing gift anyone has ever given me, much less forged himself. I cannot thank you enough."

A shy grin spread across his face as he tenderly ran his fingers down the side of my face and wiped away my tear of happiness. "Seeing you happy is the only thanks I require, Vancarmiel." He pulled me into a tight embrace and I relaxed against him.

Abruptly, Haldir stiffened in my arms and gently pulled me back. I gave him a questioning look and then following his line of sight.

"Elladan," I said in surprise. A feeling of guilt began to flood through me at the betrayed look on his face. I knew I did nothing wrong but I had a feeling we were not on the same wavelength at the moment.

His shoulders were thrown back and his jaw was clenched. Elladan's very presence pulsated with anger and his lips were pulled into a sneer as he spoke. "What is going on here?"

I raised my hands up in a defensive motion. "Elladan, nothing is going on."

Stalking towards us, his unbound hair was flung back over his shoulders. "Nothing? I see the gift that Haldir gave you. This sword is a masterpiece and by looking at it I can tell that Haldir put much of his life energy into it. This is not a gift to be given lightly."

His face was blank and Haldir spoke with a quiet anger. "It is a gift given to a true friend, Elladan Peredhel."

"A true friend who you feel enough connection to touch and hold as if she were your own?" Elladan's gray eyes looked black with anger under the night sky.

Gently I placed my arm under the quivering arm of Elladan; anger had his body racked in tremors. "Elladan, please don't do this. You are so overreacting." I tried to make my voice calm and succeeded. But inwardly I was getting angry myself at his inappropriate reaction.

"Am I, Sofia?" His eyes tore from me and bore back into Haldir's eyes. "I have seen the way that Haldir watches you and how you two interact. I have done my best to stay silent but I can tell that he loves you. And I will not let him pry you from my arms with gifts or anything else."

"Elladan!" I gasped. "Don't be silly."

"It's true," Haldir stated, "I do love her but not-"

Haldir never finished his sentence. Elladan's swinging fist landed heavily along Haldir's jaw. Haldir stumbled back and threw his arm up to block Elladan's next swing.

"How dare you call yourself a friend of me and mine when you try to take my love away from me? You are disgraceful." Elladan pushed Haldir back with enough force for Haldir to land ten feet away. Elladan began rushing towards Haldir again when I yanked his arm back and threw him ten feet in the opposite direction.

I could feel pairs of eyes watching us from the camp and I hissed angrily at Elladan. "What on earth do you think you are doing? You are acting crazy! You do not go starting a fight with one of your own before a major battle!"

Elladan propped himself up on his elbows and was breathing deeply through his mouth. He gave a harsh laugh. "Apparently madness is a result of love, my dear Sofia."

"What?" I questioned. My eyebrows arched up and I knelt down next to him.

"I love you, Sofia. I have loved you, I think, since I first met you. And I've been trying to keep it inside me because I did not want to frighten you away; I know how much hurt your heart has carried within it. But as I was patrolling the perimeter I had a vision. Like my father and grandmother I have visions, but it is extremely rare. Perhaps only a handful of times in my long life." His eyes were filled with pain when he looked up at me. "And I saw that you were gone."

"You mean," my voice cracked, "I died?"

"No," he sighed. "I thank the Valar it is nothing of that nature because I would surely pass if you died. But for me it was the next worst thing. I saw that you were gone from my life because you chose another to love." A tear rolled down his face. "You left me, Sofia. You left me. And I will not sit by and watch it happen before me with Haldir."

In a fluid motion Elladan stood up and walked away from us past the edge of our encampment.

I just sat there in shock as Haldir approached me and sat down. "Vancamiel?" he said softly. "Are you okay."

In return I just gave a harsh laugh and glanced over the small bruise that was appearing on his face. "Guess I could ask you the same thing."

He shrugged. "I have seen worse. I hold no grudge against him, I understand why he felt the need to do it."

I raised my head until I was at eye-level with him. "Haldir, what did you mean when you said you loved me?" My heart beat erratically. There was no way I was mentally or emotionally prepared to deal with two ellon in my life. Nor did I want to; I only wanted Elladan.

Haldir shook his head and breathed out deeply. "Perhaps I made the mistake of not saying what I wanted to say in the right order. Elladan never let me finish, since his fist was connecting with my jaw." He gave me a wry smile. "My entire sentence was going to be that I love you, but not in that way."

I mulled that sentence over in my head. "Huh?"

A charming laugh spilled from his lips. "Do you remember our talk at that night club of yours?"

"Yeah. We talked about elven courting and my sweet American dance styles."

"Do you remember when you asked me why I was single? And I said while I had courted several maidens I did not imagine to find love with an ellith at all?"

"Yeah…" I gave him a curious look. Where was he going with this?

"And do you remember right before we left your world when we were talking about Willow and her preferences?"

I nodded. "Yeah. You were telling me that homosexuality isn't too common in Middle-Earth, even if people just do it for fun it's usually not a permanent thing." My eyes widened as the lightbublb flickered to life above my head. "You mean…?"

"Yes, Sofia. It has taken me a long time to truly understand and acknowledge the desires of my heart, but I am referred to as, in your language, gay."

"But-but," I sputtered, "what about all those times you flirted hardcore with me? That's not something…" I stopped as I thought of my gay guy friends at home. They were all salicious flirts and got away with so much in their female friend relationships because of their sexual preference.

Haldir grinend and planted a kiss on my forehead. "To be honest, when I first saw you I was struck by your other-ness."

"What?" I exclaimed. My thoughts immediately reverted to an Ethnic Studies class I had taken and I was wondering if I should be insulted.

"I have not found the one for me yet and when I saw you I thought to myself, 'Prayhaps it is because the one for me is not part of Middle-Earth.' Sofia, you are beautiful unique, funny, and strong." I blushed at his words. "I think a part of me was trying to force myself to be attracted to you in part due to lonliness."

"Thanks, Hal," I said dryly. "Glad to know I'm someone you have to force yourself to be attracted to."

He chuckled. "Quiet, Vancarmiel. That's not it and you know it. I just am not attracted to you because of who I am. But," he tucked his finger under my chin and looked me in the eyes, "I do love you. I think that's why I was confused about my feelings for you before. But my love stems from friendship due to a connection that I have experienced with only a handful of people. I have been blessed with your friendship and the connection our fëa have found with each other."

My heart twinged with happiness at his words and I pulled myself into his arms. "I love you too, Hal. You've been one of my best things about this world since the moment I entered it. Thank you for that; for everything."

Pulling me back he gave me another kiss on the cheek. "Now, while I would love to, how you say, 'chill' for a moment I believe you should find your charming lover."

I grimaced. "Yeah. I'm not sure what to say to him. He seemed pretty shook up by his vision."

"Sofia," he chided. "You know what you need to tell him." I raised a questioning eyebrow. "Elladan told you he loved you. It sounded like that was the first time he had said those words to you."

Raising my head to the stars, I broke eye contact with Haldir. "Yeah, it was." I shivered at the memory of those words gracing his lips. "Too bad it wasn't under better circumstances."

"True. Maybe that is why you need to go find him now and then tell him you love him."

I jerked my head back down at him. "How do you know if I love him or not?"

He gave me a deadpan look. "Sofia. I watched several novellas and tv shows with your mother. I believe I am what is referred to as the 'gay guy friend' and am automatically an expert on the love lives of my friends, not to mention clothes."

We stared at each other for a moment before both of us burst into laughter. When the last laugh left me I kissed him on the cheek and said, "Thanks Hal."

"Anytime, Vancarmiel."

I threw myself to my feet, grabbed Baudhiel my sword, and began running in the direction had left.

-------------------

**A/N:**

**Peredhel: **It means 'half-elven'. Used in Tolkien's world to refer to Elrond & fam since Elrond is half-elven and has ties to Man.

**Baudhiel** was retrieved at: 

**Next Chapter:** Boyfriend A meets Ex-Boyfriend B…. Under some pretty damn awful circumstances


	46. ILoveyou

**Chapter 46: ILoveyou**

I've noticed in my five years that each Slayer is unique in their abilities. For example, some excel at weaponry, others at hand to hand, and others are excellent trackers. Their talents allow their indescribable spidey senses to tingle when a beastie is hidden over a hundred feet away or they can easily spot tell-tale signs of movement in order to track them.

Right now I wished I had that talent. But nope! Never been good at that and therefore I was mumbling curse words under my breath as I struggled to figure out where Elladan went. Elves are naturals when it comes to blending into nature and I could not see or hear him. My stomach churned uneasily at the memory of that one tear that trickled down his face. Such pain was evident in his being and I felt guilt that I had caused it. Obviously I knew I did not do anything but it was his love for me that caused him pain.

My thoughts were distracting me from finding him but all I could think was if his vision was right. Is it possible his vision was true? Would I leave him? Would I fall in love with someone else?

'_No_!' I thought swiftly in anger. There is no way that vision could be true. I have spent a lot of time trying to understand my heart and it tells me that, foolish girl that I am, I'm in love with Elladan. Of course, I know I've fallen into madness to love him because I know these mortal/immortal relationships never work out.

"Heh," I said out loud. I thought of Elladan's recent words "Madness is a result of love." '_Well, at least we can be crazy together_,' I thought with a grin and continued traipsing through the woods that I thought Elladan may have gone into.

Ooh, spidey alert! A shiver ran up my back as I felt eyes upon me. Slowly, I turned around and saw Elladan sitting cross-legged on the ground looking up at me calmly. "Elladan?" I said softly. He appeared to be meditating and a part of me was reluctant to speak loudly.

"Did you leave Haldir back at camp?" he asked in a too-calm tone. Not the reaction I was expecting at all after his outburst.

I walked over and knelt down next to him "Yes."

"How's his face looking?" Again, his voice was even and he was looking into the distance.

"Small bruise." I tilted my head and tried to see what he was looking at and then turned back to him.

"Are you angry at me?"

I paused. His calm demeanor was throwing me off. Any other time we have an argument we end up screaming and whipping sarcasm around like it was a waffle ball. "Well, I'm not angry. I mean, I'm not exactly pleased that you freaked out and tried to kick my friend's ass…" I shrugged. My heart was begging me to say 'cause how can I be angry when you just declared your love for me?', but I was reluctant.

Elladan still wouldn't meet my eyes and he drew in a long, deep breath. "Do you love Haldir back?"

"Huh?" My face screwed up in puzzlement and then I felt an inner tendril of fire lash out. I stood up because at that moment I couldn't stand to be near him. _¿Cómo podría él creer eso? ¿Él me confía en tan poco?__¡Ugh, era así que __encojonda __no podría incluso pensar! ¡Que __guasa!_

{_How could he believe that? Does he trust me so little? Ugh, I was so mad I couldn't even think! What a moron!}_

"Sofia?" said Elladan hesitantly. I whirled around and saw he was standing and was giving me a questioning look. Questioning me! At that look I could feel my anger doubling the amount of adrenaline coursing through my veins and my fingers betrayed that by shaking off the excess energy.

I hated being short. Being a little over five feet made it hard but I straightened my back, squared my shoulders, and looked Elladan straight in the eye. "How on earth can you ask me if I love Haldir back?" I was disgusted with my voice. It sounded unlike me: raspy with underlying pain. My voice gave the illusion of weakness and instinct made me mentally struggle to wrap myself up in a thick coat of anger and ride my emotions out.

His voice hardened; I guess his noble intentions of remaining calm were also quickly evaporating. "How can I not ask that, Sofia? I see a vision where you leave me because you're in love with someone and tonight I see you with a man who has confessed his love for you. What am I to think?"

I stalked towards him and my fingers ached to grab hold of him and shake sense into him. "*_Maybe_* you should just trust me. You should know that I don't love Haldir and that I would not do that to you. Honestly, how can you trust me so little?"

Eyes flashing he threw his hands heavenward in agitation. "I don't know what to think. My senses picked up on an emotional moment between you two, not to mention I know how much time you spend together. It is not a matter of trust but of practicality. Would you not ask the same question of me if the roles were reversed?"

I had an urge to punch something. But I refrained. (_See, I can manage my anger very well_!). "Please, Elladan," I hissed. "Don't even try to spin it on me and think of it from your POV."

His long legs made it to me quickly and he grabbed my upper arms. "Please just answer the question," he pleaded.

"_Coño_, Elladan! _Ay Dios_, if you would have waited just one _jodido_ moment you would have heard Haldir explain that he loved me like a friend! And that he's not really into females anyways!" I threw my arms up and outward to easily break his hold on me.

I stayed there with my arms crossed as Elladan crumpled to the ground. My heart hurt at the sight of him lowering in defeat but my cloak of anger snuffed out the feeling.

For several minutes there was silent until Elladan's voice broke it. "I am a fool," he sighed.

I was uncertain of what to do and suddenly felt very awkward. At the image of Elladan sitting on the ground my anger dissipated by a warmth of a different sort; love. Sitting behind him I began stroking his hair. He gasped quietly at my touch and leaned into me. "Yes, you are a fool."

A cynical laugh escaped from his throat. "Ah, _meleth nín_. I love that you are so honest with me."

I kept playing with his hair as we sat there silently thinking. Elves have a hair fetish, odd but true. They prized their hair, rarely gave it away, and when it did fall out they used it as their bow strings because it was so unnaturally strong. One of the first things I learned while spending time with Elladan is that they incorporate hair into courtship. For example, me playing with Elladan's hair was like second base for him. With its length, silky texture, and thickness, I enjoyed playing with it; and the reaction of utter joy with a hint of seduction that it created.

"Do you remember when you thought I was perfect and I told you I wasn't?"

Ah. The day of our reconciliation after the Elrohir debacle. "Yes."

"I told you I was a jealous _ellon_. I am sorry that you had to witness another irrational moment."

"Well, luckily for you, your rational moments outweigh your irrational so the scales are still tipped in your favor."

Elladan grabbed my arms at the back of his head and spun me around swiftly in front of him. Giving me a searching look, he tenderly caressed my cheek. "I will have to work hard to keep them tipped in my favor then." He sighed. "I apologize for my actions."

I took his hand that was on my cheek and kissed his palm. "I may not have liked it but I am rational enough to understand how confusing that could have been because of your vision."

He shook his head. "Regardless, I should not have reacted that way. Sometimes I fear my jealousy is more greatly rooted in my soul then I would prefer. I know you have heard bits of my family history but all elves descend from several different groups. My family is of Noldor blood and it was my ancestors at the beginning of the world who committed the grave act of kinslayings; the first time elves killed their own kind in battle over overwhelming feelings of jealousy and possessiveness. The blood of my people is at times fiery and hot when our passion kindles us."

As he spoke I studied the way his eyes darted, as if he felt ashamed of his admission. The skin around his eyes was tight with tension and he held his hands in his lap and rubbed them absentmindedly.

"When I hit Haldir I felt the memories of the kinslaying stories rush back to me and I felt ashamed for striking him. But that vision drove me mad." He paused and then proceeded. "You do not love Haldir as more than a friend."

He said it as a statement and I'm sure it was done in hopes of not angering me again. But I knew it was really a question and he required reassurance. "No, I don't in that way. He is just my friend." I took a deep breath and said the next words quickly before my bravery escaped again. "Besides, how can I love him when Iloveyou?" My eyes darted to my lap until I forced myself to look at him again.

His eyes contained hope, but caution as well. A mischievous glint appeared and he asked, "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that last part. What did you say?"

Giving him a dirty look, I almost thought about being quiet just to bug him. Except now that I've said that final, scary, four letter word that terrorized me I thought I could say it again with normalcy.

Honestly, it's amazing what a commitment-phobe I am. The Watchers Council provided free therapy and encouraged it for the Slayers. Of course, almost none of us took them up on that offer because of our internal need to prove we're okay and the thought that only weak people get therapy. But now, after realizing how much I struggle with communication about stupid feelings I think maybe I should check out. Yeah, maybe.

"I… love you." There, that wasn't so hard now was it? And it's actually worth it judging by the look on Elladan's face.

"_Gen melon_," he said with a beaming smile. "I love you, Sofia." He let out a surprised laugh and shook his head. "I'm honestly surprised you love me, especially after my actions.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Like you said, you're not perfect. And I'm okay with that. Perhaps even relieved a little bit; makes me feel better for dating someone with better hair then me."

We laughed and he ran his hands gently through my hair. It felt absolutely splendiferous as his fingernails trailed along my scalp and slowly worked their way down to my ends. A shiver of pleasure rippled down my back. "Your hair is far more beautiful, _meleth_."

"See when you say pretty things like that, how can I not love you?" I grinned. "All playing aside, yes. I am not comfortable with your jealousy, so work on that. But, going back to what you said earlier, I think I've known that I've loved you for some time. I just… I just couldn't admit it to myself." I shrugged.

"Then _meleth nín_, I need you to handle these issues you have that separate us." I raised my shoulders in innocence. He tsked at me. "You must learn to give yourself over. I know you don't like to feel vulnerable and prefer to just give in to anger but that is unhealthy. When you close yourself off like that it makes everything between us harder."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I knew he was right. _Coño_, I hate that he is right. Can't I just box up my emotions like most people? "I promise I'll try. It's just hard, it's instinct. But as time goes by I'll get better at dealing with things."

"As time goes by?" Elladan's blank face betrayed nothing but I could tell my phrasing meant something.

"Uh… yeah. It'll get easier, eventually."

"Knowing you, that could take a long time."

I felt a bit defensive. What was he trying at?

"Uh, gee, thanks. Yeah, I guess so."

The blank face transformed into one of intense happiness. "Therefore, you plan on being with me for a long time."

My eyes widened. "Um." Did I really just say that? Ohmygod. I laid down on the silky grass and looked upwards to where the stars glinted in between tree branches. Elladan lay propped up on elbow looking at me.

"Sofia Isabella Ramirez."

Ohmygod, my full freaking name. All said in his rich baritone voice that made my toes curl from happiness. A blend of excitement and trepidation coursed through me. Slowly, oh-so slowly, I turned my head to face his. "Yes, Elladan?"

"It is common among my people for our fëa to recognize our counterparts far quicker than, from what you have said, is common in your world." He toyed with one of my curls and wrapped it around his finger. "Sofia, I love you, from your vibrant curls to your fiery spirit. Your fëa sings to mine and I know we are meant to be joined together. Will you be my wife?"

…

…

I think my brain shut down. I see Elladan above me. His lips are moving. But the audio doesn't seem to be working. Because if it was then I know I did *not* just hear Elladan ask me to marry him. Nuh uh. No way.

Oh God. He did. He's staring at me, waiting for an answer! Oh _puñeta_! Okay I love him. Him asking me to marry him has made all warm and tingly and I know I want to say yes. But I don't know if I should. I mean, how to inter-dimensional couples live? After all, I like running water and electricity!

Oh, but I do love Elladan more.

At the same time, it's only been a year since I just got married and widowed. Too soon? Logically I think so. Emotionally… Well those two areas of my psyche are not on the same page. _Puñeta_. I don't know what to say!

**-----------------------------------------------------**

**A/N:**

**Hmm. What will be her answer? Tune in next time! *mwahahaha***

Holllllerrrrrrrrrrrrr cha girrrrrrl! ;D

_¿Cómo podría él creer eso? ¿Él me confía en tan poco?__¡Ugh, era así que __encojonda __no podría incluso pensar! ¡Que __guasa!---- _{How could he believe that? Does he trust me so little? Ugh, I was so mad I couldn't even think! What a moron_!}_

_jodido- _Spanish; fucking

_ellon- _Elvish; male elf

_Meleth- _Elvish; love

_meleth nín- _Elvish; my love

_Coño- _PR slang; used as an exclamation; 'oh damn/shit'

_Puñeta- _PR slang; fuck; as in 'oh fuck'


	47. No

**Chapter 47: ****No… **

I think my brain shut down. I see Elladan above me. His lips are moving. But the audio doesn't seem to be working. Because if it was then I know I did *not* just hear Elladan ask me to marry him. Nuh uh. No way.

Oh God. He did. He's staring at me, waiting for an answer! Oh _puñeta_! Okay I love him. Him asking me to marry him has made all warm and tingly and I know I want to say yes. But I don't know if I should. I mean, how to inter-dimensional couples live? After all, I like running water and electricity!

Oh, but I do love Elladan more.

At the same time, it's only been a year since I just got married and widowed. Too soon? Logically I think so. Emotionally… Well those two areas of my psyche are not on the same page. Puñeta. I don't know what to say!

I tried to imagine living with Elladan for the rest of my life. Smiling at the thought, I thought of introducing him to my family and hosting a real wedding with everyone there. I imagined us living at his home that he told me about in Rivendell where we would be together, whether it was battling evil or hiking through nature.

The question is: Is he the one? I bit my lip nervously as I continued staring into his eyes and just let myself *feel*. The answer came swiftly once I opened my mind to the possibility. He was. How he could have a vision where I fell in love for someone else is crazy.

Wait. I could feel my face fill with suspicion as I pondered his intentions for asking me to be his wife. Likewise, I saw confusion cloud his eyes as he watched me expectantly. I drew myself up to a sitting position and looked down at him

"Elladan, are you asking me to marry you because of your vision? Are you trying to prevent whatever you saw?"

A guilty look passed over him before he smoothed out his features. "I love you Sofia and do want to spend my life with you." He stayed immobile reclining on the ground and I could tell he was tensing himself up for round two of our fight.

"But did you ask me that question today just because of the vision?"

He spoke thoughtfully. "_Lirimaer_. I swear to you that I did not do it soley for that reason. But did my vision incite me to ask that question of you sooner rather than later, then yes. Visions merely show us what could happen and we hold the power to make them true or not. So yes, I ask you this question now because I don't believe I should put off asking the inevitable."

I sighed and my heartstrings tugged painfully. "No."

"No what?"

"No is the answer I am giving you."

Elladan sat up in alarm. "What? How can you say no? I saw your answer in your eyes as you were thinking. Your answer is yes."

"Don't tell me what my answer is," I bristled. I hate that he could read me so well. "You're right, the unfiltered answer *_was_* yes. But El, I can't say yes to you when a vision made you think you needed to ask me."

"It wasn't just the vision," he stated quickly.

"Even so, look at us." I tentatively touched his cheek and then his pointed ear. "I *_do_* love you, but I realistically cannot see marriage in our future. There are so many unanswered practical questions. Where would we live? Here in your world or mine?"

"Why can't we do both? You friend the witch knows how to open the doors between our worlds. We could divide our time between the two."

"Okay, what about our callings? You and your brother have sworn to kill every last orc in Middle-Earth since they tortured your mother and killed Elrohir's love. I am sworn to stand against the forces of darkness in my world." I felt bad bringing up the oath the twins had sworn. I knew it was a touchy subject and he didn't speak of it often. After their mother was tortured by orcs the twins found the culiprits and massacred them and their purpose in life is to go after every one of the foul beasts.

"We do not have to ignore our calling because we are together. Just the opposite, we can fight together. Our destinies dictate that we must lay ruin to the evil of the world. We can help each other in each of our worlds." His calloused hand, toughened by using the bow and sword, took mine and held it. My breath caught in my throat at his touch. I must be crazy to tell him no…But…

"And the immortal/mortal thing? How do you plan on dealing with that? I love you, but I'm 22 years old. Humans from my world only live to be 70-100 and Slayers live to be my age or not much older. Even if I do live old I'll be grey-haired and wrinkly while you will still look beautiful." I asked these dreadful questions because I knew they needed to be said but my chest was tight at the mention of them.

"Sofia, no matter how your looks may change with age you will always be absolutly esquisite to me. Know that." He bent down and brushed his lips sweetly against mine. I felt that need for him grow within me but I had to keep my mind focused on the task at hand.

"Regardless of that, when we wed," (I liked that he said 'when' and not 'if'. Confident elf), "I will grow old with you. We will have the same life experiences."

My eyes widened in alarm. "You mean-"

"I will take the Gift of Man and the fate of my ancestor Lúthien Tinúviel. I will become mortal for you."

I snatched my hand out of his as his words registered with me. My mind flashed back to that night at the campfire when Elrohir told the tale of Lúthien and Beren.

_Elrohir continued the tale. "The King allowed Beren to take Lúthien as his bride but he died in battle. Lúthien pleaded before Mandos, the Valar who oversees the Halls of the Dead and moved him so deeply he asked Manwe, the leader of the Valar, to aid the two lovers. Manwe could not grant Beren immortality because the gift of Eru Iluvatar to Men was death. Instead he offered Lúthien the opportunity to become mortal, to live out her life with Beren, and be reunited with him in the afterlife. Of course, but doing so she rejected living out her life with her immortal family and was denied to reunite with them in Valinor, where all elves go one they tire of living in these lands."_

… _I couldn't help but ask more; even if I wasn't sure I wanted to know. "Why don't more of your family choose this?"_

Elladan hesitated in the stroking of my hair and I felt a tension enter the atmosphere. Elrohir gave me a hard look and answered my question. "Because to give up a connection to your people and be separated from your family forever is a not a decision to be taken lightly, Sofia, if at *all*."

Eying him slowly up and down I took in every detail of him. From how his hair flowed in the light breeze to how his muscle frame made him look damn good in a tunic to the utter beauty of his full lips. He embued all of the great characterisitics one wants in a man: He supported me as a Slayer and fighter, he was kind, loving, charming, passionate, funny, he challenged me, and he loved me.

Unbidden, the first conversation I had with Galadriel after she healed me came to mind.

_"I have seen that you and I are linked, Sofia Isabella Ramirez. By saving you I have likely saved my kin." _

What did she mean by that? Her kin could only include Elladan, Arwen, or Elrohir. Would my joining with Elladan 'save' him? How? How would Elladan becoming mortal save him?

My brain felt in pain from all these dark,deep thoughts and I tried to pull myself out of my reverie. "Elladan, I cannot let you do that."

His lips pursed in frustration. "Actually, it is my decision."

"No! Elladan, look at you. I cannot let you choose death for me. Not just death but never seeing your family in the afterlife."

"Life without you is not life at all, Sofia." I felt my tears start to form in my eyes at the strength of the emotion in his voice. Yet..

"What about Elrohir?"

That stopped him and a look of pain twisted his lovely features. "In time, he will understand. He has to."

That look, the tone of his speech, made my decision for me. My heart threatened to break at the idea of my next actions but the thought of Elladan unhappy without his twin would make my heart, and his, break later on.

But I'm weak. So, I grabbed him wildly and pressed my mouth to his eagerly. He seemed taken aback but quickly relented and pressed me to the ground. For this kiss I gave completely in. In to the fire of our passion and our love. Our kiss became frantic, like a drowning man's search for air, except we were searching for each other. My fingers ran through his hair, down his back, and grabbed his deliciously tight ass. He gasped and rolled over so I was laying on top of him. Grabbing my waist, he ground our hips together so I could feel his desire and I moaned as he laid a trail of kisses down my neck.

I wanted him. Badly. Like a heroin addict needs her fix, I needed him. Let the future be damned, I was living in the here and now.

"Why aren't you the little slut? Just a couple months ago you were crying about your husband and now look at you rolling around in the dirt like an animal with this one."

In a flash of motion, Elladan yanked me upwards and pushed me behind him so we could face the malevolent voice. He unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the voice in the shadows. "Who are you?" he growled.

My eyes searched for my sword and I snatched her from the ground. While I appreciated Elladan's chivalrous gesture I stepped up right next to him so we could face the intruder head on.

The intruder stepped from the shadows and I gasped in shock.

"Miss me, lover?" Damien said cruelly. His dimples showed as he curled his lips upward. In the dark his dark-brown skin appeared black but his eyes seemed to glow with power.

As always, my throat caught when I saw the body of my beloved Erik speaking so cruelly to me. Fucking sorcerer. "Yeah, missed you like herpes," I shot back. Rule number one: Never let the bad guy know how unnerved you are. Hence, wity comebacks.

I felt energy start to emit from Elladan and I glanced at him but he continued staring in anger at Damian. Like magick (okay, guess it was magick) Damian had flown me to him and clutched my neck with one hand and pointed a dagger at my heart. In the process my beloved Baudhiel dropped to the ground.

"Stop it, Elf. No use calling for your people. If you do, the trollop gets it. Drop your weapon as well." Immediately I felt Elladan's force of energy halt and he glanced from me to Damian. "Good boy."

"Boy? I outnumber you by over two millennia," Elladan hissed.

I felt Damian shrug behind me but his grip never wavered. "Goodness, Sofia. You certainly do choose the strangest men. A half-demon and now an elf." His head bent down and he whispered in my air. "Not to mention the nights you had with me. Did you like the taste of sorcerer?" For good measure, he licked the outer ridge of my ear.

I tried to stay calm but my body convulsed with disgust at his words and touch. I felt nauseous but my anger came to rescue me again as I wrapped myself in its warmth and strength. "If I had known you were not Erik, I never would have had sex with you, you _mama bicho_. You played with me then and I swear I'll kill you."

Damian made a tsking noise. "No, you will not. You've had many chances and never had. It's so sweet that you haven't killed me because you think someday you'll bring Erik back. Such a darling you are." His hand gripped my neck tighter and I gasped. "One thing is for certain, I am not done playing with you yet."

"For every time you touch her or speak to her I will cut off a piece of your body." Elladan's face was tightened with rage and his hands were curled into fists.

Damian's grip loosened slightly and I could breathe again. "Now, now. Let's not be hasty. The only ones who will be cut tonight are you two."

Another figure glided from the shadows. He was of medium height and built like a football player. I gasped as I saw his bat-like features. The texture of his skin appeared rough from what looked like a permanent vamp-face. Beady red eyes and pointed ears completed his look. Spindly fingers reached out towards me and gingerly scratched my cheek. A line of blood appeared.

I saw Elladan tense up to jump in and I said hoarsely, "Don't! We're at a disadvantage."

The bat-man gave me a malicious, pointy-teethed grin and he licked the cut on my cheek. I shut my eyes in repugnance and couldn't wait to kill these two.

"Mmm. Slayer blood. Delicious." He leisurely licked the fingernail that had cut me.

"I'm guessing you're James the Master Vampire?"

"How did you guess?"

I smiled but it didn't reach my eyes. "Cause your fucking ugly as hell and you need a facial in a serious way."

James' red eyes flashed and he raised his hand to strike me. "Don't," said Damian. "Mavlar will already be pissed that you bled her. She and the elf are meant for Thuringwethil."

My eyes darted towards Elladan. Both of us?

"How dare you speak her name, mortal? You tongue is not worthy to say the name of the Mistress Herald."

"Yeah, whatever. Hurry we need to leave." Damian holstered his dagger and threw powder at Elladan. Elladan leapt forward, Damian sidestepped, and Elladan fell to the ground; passed out.

I tried struggling but the powder descended upon me. "No…" My whisper trailed off and within seconds I was out.

---------------------------------------------------------

_oh, __puñeta- PR, oh fuck_

_Lirimaer__- _Elvish; Lovely one

_Mama bicho –_PR slang; cocksucker


	48. Welcome Back

**Chapter 48: Welcome Back**

Dawn was sitting in the light of the crackling fire reading the scroll Mandos gave her when Amras approached her. She glanced up at the Ranger and gave him a small wave of her hand.

"Dawn, could you assist us?"

She hid the scroll in her satchel and stood up. "Of course! How can I help?"

"Follow me."

Dawn fell in step behind him and observed the camp. At the edge she saw Haldir approaching Sofia, Vi was fencing with a Ranger, and in general the mood was solemn as people prepared for battle tomorrow. At the northwest edge of camp she saw Elrohir and Aragorn in deep conversation. Her gut twisted at the sight of Elrohir. Seeing him made her think of the powerful scroll she carried and the deeds they had been planning.

In the last week they had spent a lot of time together discussing their task, or rather, arguing. It amused her how surprised Elrohir was at how often she countered him. She supposed as the son of Elrond, powerful elf lord, he was used to taking charge and having people agree with him. Of course, their topic at hand was always a grave one so she did take their arguments seriously…But he was highly stubborn and she enjoyed needling him.

When she first got here she immediately wrote him off as a pompous ass because of what Sofia and Vi had told her. Now… She had to admit he wasn't half bad. He had surprised her by his occasional small smiles that she won through her silly comments and how he could say kind things; like how he had encouraged her with his faith that she could take on Mavlar. '_Still_,' she told herself firmly, '_he is the enemy_.' After all, he had caused a lot of pain for her friend.

Oh Goddess. If she said that about Elrohir then she was just as guilty. Last night she had finally caved at his insistence that the Valar were to be trusted and she agreed to break up Sofia and Elladan. She felt like such a bitch. Part of her put the blame of this situation on Elrohir's shoulders. Yeah, the Valar picked both of them but Elrohir was the one who had wished for her friend's relationship to end.

Aragorn turned to her and smiled. She hadn't spoken to him much, but she liked him. He had a regal air about him, was intelligent as hell, and hilarious. The jokes he played while she hung out with him, Arwen, Sofia, Elladan, Vi, and Amras always cracked her up.

"Dawn, the openness of this field has been bothering us. Between here and our quarry there are no areas to camp that do not lie open to the stars and enemies. The woods over there are unsuitable for camp and this was our best location but I need to know if you can use magick to help cover us."

"Hmm." She gazed around and knelt to the ground. "Ever since I've gotten here I've felt great power within the earth. Let's see what happens." She leaned forward and placed her hands on the ground. As a Wicca she worshipped the earth and she let it be known in her bow. She knew the others were watching her but at the moment she ignored their presence. It was just her and the earth.

What felt like static electricity shot from the earth to her hands and it traveled to her toes; she was accepted as one with the earth. Breathing in deeply she took in the musk of the dirt, the freshness of the grass, and the open air. Although her eyes were closed she could see through the ground at the life that lay beneath them. Insects formed cavernous homes, a rabbit slept soundly in its hole, and far below water flowed at a slow pace. Above ground she could even feel the minute vibrations of every being in the camp as they went about their business. The trees in the woods to the south of camp called to her with their rustling leaves. There was just so much life!

Willow had told her what it felt like when she connected with the earth during her time in England after the 'Bad Willow' stage and said it was amazing. She was right. Dawn felt an uncontrollable amount of calm swell within her. Never had this happened to her before in her training. But she felt at home here in Middle-Earth. It had that fuzzy warm feeling she got when she came home after a long trip and snuggled in her favorite robe.

"Welcome back," the earth whispered to her.

"Back?" she said softly.

"Yes, my blessed child. It has been too long since my creations have felt your gentle touch. They sing with joy and I sing with them."

She had been keeping her mind blank in her meditation so that nature could speak to her easily but vaguely she glimpsed an image of a woman in a green dress smiling at her. "Who are you?"

"You are not yet prepared to hear my answer to that question. Please be patient with me and finish your call to the earth to protect your friends. Time grows short." The image flickered and was gone from her mind.

It was like someone snuffed out her only candle against the darkness and Dawn felt an overwhelming sadness that she could not describe. A tear spilled out of her eye and fed the earth. She felt the earth acknowledge her offering with satisfaction and asked of it to aid them.

"Nourishing mother," she spoke with power, "Cover us from our enemies and acknowledge their presence in our midst." The grass around the edges of their camp spouted up ten feet to hide the warriors and she knew it spread throughout the meadow.

Still bowing, Dawn kissed the ground reverently. "Thank you." She stayed motionless for several minutes in prayer and then stood up. Aragorn and Amras were looking at her in awe while Elrohir was slowly turning to take in the sudden change in scenery.

Giddy with the amount of power she had channeled, she smiled at them brightly. "This look good, guys?"

Amras continued staring and Aragorn shook his head. "_Mellon nin_. This is the first time I have seen your power at work and it is awe-inspiring. Well done; thank you."

Elrohir turned to her and gasped. His face was rigid with shock and he looked like he had seen a ghost. "Your eyes!"

Dawn rubbed her eyes slightly. "What's wrong?" she asked in a worried voice.

"You eyes, Dawn. They are a brilliant green like fresh summer grass after a crisp rain. How?"

She shrugged. "Um, not sure Elrohir. That was the first time I've connected to the ground like that."

"And you spoke in Quenya." Aragorn regarded her gravely. "How did you come to that knowledge?"

Dawn's eyes widened. "Whoa, now. I spoke my language. I heard it."

Elrohir's eyes watched her carefully and he seemed overcome with shock. Aragorn bit his lip as he examined her. Amras spoke next, slowly like he was speaking to a small child. "No, Dawn. You spoke the first language of the elves, the first language spoken in Middle-Earth. It is one that is little used now and I don't know where you could have learned that."

Dawn held up her hands. "Okay, way freaky! I've never had this happen before. I mean, I know it's not bad because she definitely seemed good, but this is weird."

"Who seemed good?" Elrohir's voice was a blend of curiosity, hopefulness, and despair.

"Ah…" Dawn felt hesitant to share her personal moment but she thought they could help. "I don't know. We shared a connection… It's hard to explain. I feel like I've known her from before, ya know? It was odd, though. She said 'Welcome back' and that it's been too long since her creations have felt my gentle touch. But when I asked her who she was she said I wasn't prepared to hear the answer yet."

"Interesting," said Aragorn. "Did you see her at all or only hear her?"

"Well," she fiddled with the velvet fabric of her satchel. "I did get an image of her but it's hard to describe. Kind of like a fuzzy picture. I just got the idea that she was beautiful and she wore a long, elegant green gown."

Elrohir gasped and Dawn could see a bead of sweat drip down his forehand. '_Interesting_,' she thought, '_I didn't know elves could sweat_!'

"Brother," asked Aragorn. "Are you all right?"

Elrohir shook his head no. "The woman you saw in the green dress. It must have been Kementári. Who else wears such garment and communes with the lovers of plants? And your brilliant green eyes are a sign of the gift to commune with nature that she has given you… I have seen it occur before with one other person blessed by Kementári and she was also skilled in speaking to all the plants and animals."

"Wait, who is Kementári?"

He looked at Dawn straight in the eye. "Kementári is what we elves call her but she is also named Yavanna. She is the Vala that cares for the _olvar_ and _kelvar_, the plants and animals."

"*_Another_* freaking one of the Valar? Do I have a sign on my forehead that says, 'Hey powerful beings of Middle-Earth, let's do a Meet-n-Greet?'"

"What do you mean, 'another one'?" asked Aragorn suspiciously.

Dawn's eyes instantly gravitated to Elrohir's and she looked down. "No-Nothing,' she mumbled.

Aragorn looked ready to question her further but a falcon swooped down and landed on her arm. She was prepared for his talons to dig into her skin but surprisingly the animal was gentle.

"Yes, what is it my feathered friend?" She knew without question that he was the messenger to warn her of enemies. The falcon screeched and rose up into the air. "Looks like we better follow him. He's seen something."

"Or someone," added Amras.

Elrohir clutched his chest and winced as if in pain. "It's Elladan. He's in danger." He straightened, growled, and pulled his sword out of his sheath. "Onward! Enemy blood will spill tonight!" he cried.

Dawn ran after him but the Rangers and Elf overtook her. Half of their forces followed the hawk as well as they raced into the woods. She prayed to the great Mother that they would get there in time.

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**A/N:**

**Yup, 3 chapters in one day- woo ;) Winter doth approacheth but my plot bunnies are certainly not hibernating! **

**So… I'm curious. What are you thinking about Dawn right now, regarding anything from her past to present to future? *claps hands eagerly* Give me your guesses! **

_Mellon nin- Elvish; friend_


	49. Imprisonment

**Chapter 49: Imprisonment **

Elladan felt a throbbing pain near his temple as he began to wake up. Slowly he blinked his eyes open and saw he was suspended about three feet upside down and horizontally above a long stone table that was etched with designs that he recognized as the Black Speech of Mordor. He winced at the sight; elves have always been highly sensitive to the foul speech of Morgoth and his servant Sauron. Thick iron shackles held each wrist and ankle and his body felt stiff from the uncomfortable arrangement.

To the left of the table he saw his darling Sofia shackled like him, except she was hanging vertically. She was still unconscious and he felt a burning wave of fury tear at his gut seeing her harmed and bound. Those despicable creatures, Damian and James, would die slowly by his hand at treating her this way!

Of course, it would be hard to slowly kill them as long as he was bound so securely. Flexing his arms he tested the manacles and hissed as they painfully dug into his skin but refused to budge. He surveyed the room further and saw it was quite large. He and Sofia appeared in the middle of the room and the only light came from four torches on each side and soft moonlight that emitted through a hole in the stone ceiling directly above him. To his left was a rotting wooden door and behind Sofia he saw raised stone seats; it seemed this was an amphitheater of some sort. Dimly at the back of the room he saw a vent and wondered where it led. Perhaps it could provide an escape route.

He heard heavy footfalls approaching and quickly feigned sleep. It was his hope that maybe he could hear something of importance if they thought he was asleep. The door creaked open and he heard the new arrival scuttling around the room as if he were organizing things. The intruder began whistling a jaunty tune and Elladan had to harness his willpower not to start screaming curses at him. '_How dare this person act so cheerful as he prepares to use us to his own evil devices?_' he seethed.

"Still sleeping, little elf? No use sleeping, Mavlar will want you awake soon for the ceremony. Not that you have to be awake for it, mind you, but screams of terror and pain do make the process much more fun."

Elladan's lips curled up in disgust and he gave the speaker a loathsome stare. His rage began building up as he took in the sorcerer Damian who wore the body of Sofia's poor ex-husband as if it were a cloak. The stories she told him made him feel fiercely protective of her. How Damian fooled her into thinking he was Erik, how he was a murderer, and it especially angered him that this bastard slept with Sofia during that first month of his act. Here in front of him was the beast that dared to touch her in ways he had yet to experience and he hurt her so deeply that Elladan was still trying to overcome the barriers that pain had created.

He would love nothing more than to cut out the fiend's heart with his dagger.

"My, my. That is quite a scary look. Of course, seeing that you are the one shackled and I am not, I'm not very afraid." Damian laughed softly.

"I swear to you that I will not always be bound. Once I free myself I plan on slowly cutting your heart out and feeding it to the dogs," Elladan hissed.

Damian levitated so he could be at eye-level with Elladan. A cruel smile played across his features as he gestured towards Sofia. "So much hate. I presume this has to do with her?" Elladan just continued his murderous glare and begged the Valar to release him so he could give this creature his punishment.

Still levitating Damian moved next to Sofia and softly brushed a stray dark curl out of her face. Involuntarily, Elladan jerked against his chains and snarled. "She is quite pretty, isn't she?" he grinned with a maniacal gleam in his eye. "Imagine how I felt after I forced Erik's spirit out and got his memories, including the many ones of making sweet love to this girl."

Elladan growled low in his throat. It pained him to hear this creature speak of Sofia in such a way and quite honestly it pained him to think of her experiencing pleasures of the flesh with another man she loved. It did not matter that Erik was deceased and that Sofia loved only Elladan, he still felt jealous at the thought of her with another. Elladan was sure Damian knew exactly what he was doing by bringing up that topic because he saw his cruel grin get even bigger.

"Jealous, huh?" He laughed. "To be honest, I was jealous too. My first wife was a fox and we had some good times but the memories of Erik fucking Sofia were fantastic." He winked. "I knew I had to get me some of that."

"You foul yrch! How dare you speak of her in that way. I will tear your tongue from your mouth if-"

"If what?" Damian sneered. "You can do nothing."

Elladan felt himself calming and he gave Damian a cold smile. "I vow to you, Damian, you will face my vengeance. That I can assure you."

For a moment he saw true fear enter Damian's eyes. Elladan had been fighting the evil that plagued Middle-Earth for over two-thousand years and he knew a coward when he saw one. He felt to his bones a certainty that he would exact his vengeance on Damian.

"Whatever, elf," Damian scoffed. "You'll be dead in a couple hours. And I'm here to make sure everything goes smoothly until Mavlar returns." He stroked his chin and looked around thoughtfully. "Now how should I spend this rare amount of free time?" Damian's fingers trailed softly down the side of Sofia's cheek and came to stop above her breasts.

Elladan pleaded to the Valar for something to be done to prevent any further torment Damian may inflict upon Sofia. He felt so helpless right now… Exactly as Elladan had felt so many years ago when he and Elrohir rode out in pursuit of their mother. At that time Elladan had been helpless to save his mother from the orcs' torment and the memory of it wounded him deeply. If he had to actually witness Sofia being tormented… "Leave her be, you monster."

Damian calmly looked Elladan straight in the eye and then gently caressed Sofia's right breast. Elladan felt himself losing control and began thrusting forward and backward in an attempt to break his chains. He called on every bit of strength and power he possessed as the chains rattled around him.

The wooden door slammed open. "What in Mordor is going on here?" snarled a tall, wiry man who carried an audacious cane made of bone. The being emanated power and Elladan froze as it was directed towards him with a wave of his hand. Instantly Elladan's body stopped and he looked suspiciously at the magickal being who he presumed was Mavlar.

Damian's hands clasped each other in front of him and he spoke softly. "Nothing, Mavlar. Just watching the elf's feeble attempts to break free."

Mavlar gave Elladan an intimidating stare and Elladan returned it. "Aren't you frightened of me, First Born?"

"I fear no evil that Mordor conjures," Elladan stated simply.

Mavlar continued to gaze at him. "Interesting." He turned to Damian. "Remember, they must be kept intact for the Mistress Herald. Do your job correctly and the Dark Lord shall see to your reward. I must continue the preparations. Do not fail me."

Damian bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Of course." With that Mavlar stalked out of the room and Elladan was left alone with Damian again.

"Now," Damian grinned, "Where were we?"

* * *

For the second time in my life I was waking up to the touch of cool metal harnessing my wrist. I kept my breathing even and stretched my ears to discover my surroundings.

"Release us or you will bear the suffering of a long and painful death," came Elladan's hiss just to my right. My heart quickened once I knew he was here with me; happy that we were together but distraught that he had to endure cruel captivity.

A cackle was made in reply. "Perhaps you have not noticed elf, but you and your vampire slayer are the one bound hand and foot in my chains. You should spend less time with death threats and more time begging for your life." He paused. "Not that, of course, it would work anyway," came the low, cold voice that chilled me to the core. My brain recognized Damian's voice and I suddenly remembered his allegiance with Mavlar.

My stomach clenched as my memories of being held by Mavlar assaulted my senses. No! I did not, could not, be held by this monstrosity again!

"You're a fool," Elladan sneered. "My people will be here soon and they will free me. Then I will take great pleasure in choking the life out of you."

"Tut, tut, my dear elf. Keep your voice down. We would hate to wake the lady, would we?" Damian laughed again and I felt my stomach fill with dread.

Footsteps sounded on a stone floor and I felt his malicious presence draw nearer. "Don't you dare touch her!" came Elladan.

"Wakey, wakey little Slayer." Lightly he ran his finger over my bottom lip. I opened my eyes and tore at his trespassing finger with my teeth. He cried our as I growled and yanked his finger.

"Bitch!" He backhanded me and I let go. I glared at him as I spat out his foul blood.

"Never. Touch. Me. Again," I bit off.

He chuckled. "You won't have to worry about me touching you for much longer. In a couple hours you will be dead."

I glared at Damian and felt waves of pure hostility come off me. I despised this creature. For too long he had tormented me and tonight I planned on ending this cycle of suffering.

"Are you alright, _Lirimaer_?" Elladan asked gently.

"I'm okay," I answered truthfully. At least this time I was in chains without cuts or broken bones. "But I'll be better when we kill this _jodido mamao_." I gave Elladan a weak grin and he returned one of his own.

"Look, my little slayer." Damian's hand gestured towards a hole in the ceiling above Elladan. "Once the full moon shines fully through that skylight the ceremony will begin."

I could tell by his smirk that Damian wanted me to ask him to continue. I wanted to refuse to in spite but I was genuinely curious about their plans. "And what happens in the ceremony?" I asked dryly.

Damian clapped his hands. "Oh goody, I do love it when you play. You see Sofia, this is going to be a very exciting night. Well," he shrugged, "for me anyways. Soon Mavlar will set Thuringwethil's bones on that granite table and when the moon sets we're going to bleed you honey dry and then James. After you watch the elf die in a slow and agonizing fashion we're going to feed you to her so she gets some tasty slayer blood. Ah," he drawled, "now *this* is must-see-TV."

My eyes darted at Elladan in confusion. "Why the hell do you need him? Me, I get. Vampires loooove Slayer blood. But an elf?"

Damian chortled and shrugged. "The ritual demands the blood of those closest to the Mistress Herald. Mavlar thought he was screwed in this area until I gleamed from you mind while you were sleeping that this elf was a descendent of Lúthien who defeated Thuringwethil. His blood will act as a substitute for hers and it will allow Thuringwethil to rise."

I felt my mouth drop in shock. "Wh-Why?" I gasped. "I don't understand."

"Simple. I knew this information was valuable and since I alone knew what the elf looked like and where he was Mavlar has promised me Sauron will increase my powers greatly so I can slowly take over our dimension back home. I had heard of the prophet Tolkien and had heard of Sauron's power; I was eager to get some of it for my own."

"No," I shook my head. "That isn't what I meant." I felt my emotions threaten to overwhelm me and I took a deep breath. "I don't understand _WHY_ you chose me out of billions of people to be your own personal torment toy. You stole my husband; one would think that would be enough. Yet you have further invaded my life over the last year to continually cause anguish in my life. Why?" I asked forcefully.

Damian leaned back and I saw surprise and guilt flit across his deep brown eyes before they hardened. "Why?" He asked mockingly. "You weak little girl," he sneered. "I chose you because you are the cause of my *_own_* torment! Always I have craved to grow in power and have done whatever was necessary, including the sacrifice of my wife, Kendra. Then I steal this," he gestured towards himself, "and I was overjoyed to have a strong, young, healthy body that possessed demonic abilities. But then his memories came."

Damian grasped my chin and jerked me to look up into his eyes. I felt a twinge of fear at his pulsating anger; I could feel it on my tongue and it was heavy and sour. "His memories… for the first time since I began my journey towards power I felt love!" He sneered at the word. "Those feelings infected me and made me question things. All because of you. I was drawn to return to London. I told myself it was to kill you but I couldn't bring myself to do it." Damian spat on the floor. "Eventually I wrenched free from those feelings and tried to sell you to an acquaintance. A shame your slayer friends came."

"Why didn't you leave me alone after that?" I questioned. My heart thudded in my ears and Damian's confession. It made me wonder if perhaps a part of Erik lived on in that body.

"I didn't think I could kill you… There was too much internal conflict." Damian grinned. "But I enjoyed tormenting you. God, how the pain filled your eyes at the sight of me. There isn't a higher rush."

I jerked in my chains. Man, did I want to punch him in the face.

He trailed his index finger from my chin straight down my chest and rested above my waist. "It's almost a shame they need to kill you for the ritual. I have no idea what I will do for an obsession afterwards."

"You won't need an obsession. You'll be dead," growled Elladan. My heart grew lighter at the sound of his voice and I could feel it pulling me out of the waters of depression that Damian was drowning me in. The past was over. It was time to focus on the present.

* * *

jodido mamao- fucking sucker


	50. Nothing is Sweeter than Elf Blood

**Chapter 50: Nothing is Sweeter Than Elf Blood**

Dawn sighed as she wondered what was happening to Elladan and Sofia right now. By the time the elves and the Rangers had made it to the woods their two friends were gone. There had been the scent of magick in the area and they thought whoever took them had gotten rid of their trail through magick. She had tried to trace them by communing with the woods but all she had felt was red-hot pain. Whoever had taken them was a magickal professional.

However, they had agreed the best course of action would be to head immediately for what they presumed was Mavlar's lair. It was, after all, doubtful her friends had more than one evil person after them.

Now they rode grimly in silence towards the lair. Gone was even the slightest trace of light-heartedness that had accompanied their rides before. The Rangers and elves were incensed that one of their own had been taken and Elrohir's aura flamed with cold hostility. Vi rode by Dawn's side and Dawn could see her knuckles turning white from clenching the horse reins.

Dawn fervently wished she had thought of creating protective shields before Aragorn had asked her. Maybe then this wouldn't have happened! It always seemed that she was screwing things up. Mentally she went through her list of spells and tried to sort out the best for an attack. As always, her mind was on the scroll that the Fëanturi brothers had given her. She wondered if she would be using it tonight… They had said to break up the couple before Thuringwethil awakened and Dawn guessed that they had been kidnapped for that purpose. What else would they want a slayer and an elf for?

She eyed the full moon that was rising in the sky and shivered. Tonight seemed like an perfect night for magick and Dawn could feel it hang heavy in the air. In fact, it seemed to be getting heavier. Her horse slowed from a gallop to a trot and quickly ceased walking as it gasped in breaths. Dawn could feel the magick weighing down on her and she struggled to breathe but she was suffocating. Her steed fell down and Dawn tumbled beside her. Dimly she heard shouts from the others and she wondered what wicked magick sought her out. Her mind raced to think of something to make it stop and she felt gentle hands hoisting her upright as she gasped for air. "Spiritus," she whisphered with what little air she possessed.

Immediately she could breathe and she gulped in air gratefully. Looking up she saw Elrohir looking at her in concern. "What happened?" he asked.

Dawn started coughing and spoke between deep breaths. "Magick… Surprise attack… He must know we're coming… My horse?"

She looked over and saw Airon examining her steed. "Dead, I am afraid."

Dawn bit her lip in sadness at the loss of life. "Hurry. We must hurry. Something bad is going to happen tonight."

She felt Elrohir pull her to her feet. "Who can carry her?" asked Airon.

"I'll do it. She is light enough that my warhorse's speed was not be hampered." Dawn felt Elrohir pick her up and start carrying her to his horse.

"Hey!" she exclaimed in a horse voice. "I can walk on my own."

"You're weak and we're running out of time. Here." Elrohir swung Dawn up on his horse and she struggled to get upright. Gracefully he leapt on and their party began again. "Hold on tight, little witch. It would not do for you to fall off."

Dawn felt embarrassed to grab him around the waist and hold on so tightly but then again, she did not want to fall off. Embarrassment or pain? She chose the former.

"Do you know what we are to expect?" Elrohir asked in a clipped voice devoid of emotion. Dawn surmised that he must be truly worried about his brother.

"I'm not sure," she confessed. "I can feel a great amount of dark magick and I am assuming, based on the amount that is present and the full moon which is often desired in rituals, that they will try to bring Thuringwethil back tonight. Since they have taken a Slayer I especially believe that."

"Why would they take my brother?"

She shrugged and then realized he couldn't see her. "Not sure. Maybe Elladan was in the way when they tried to take Sofia or maybe they're going to use him. Maybe they saw it as a buy-one-get-one free deal; I'm sure they thought Thuringwethil would like the taste of elf blood."

Dawn could feel Elladan's chest rumbled as he growled in response. "These creatures will pay, Dawn."

"Totally," she agreed.

They rode on for perhaps a few hours when the scout came back. The group stopped and Elrohir, Aragorn, Amras, Haldir, Vi, and a few others clustered close to the scout.

Although sometimes it was hard for her to tell the Lothlórien elves apart since they were all tall with silver hair, she realized the scout was Bregolien. Vi had pointed him out to her at the wedding as the elf who had sparred with Sofia and had acted like an ignorant ass.

"What news?" asked Haldir.

"Sir, their fortress is just over the hill. I spotted at least two-dozen orcs guarding the outer wall. Past the wall the structure is low in height but it is a labyrinth of passages. There are five towers, one in each corner and one in the middle. The stone is new and the place looks recently constructed. Within the walls there were at least a dozen more orcs. I am unsure how many hide within the passages. The only way to get inside appears to be through the main gateway. Although, it may be possible to get over the walls if we hoist each other over."

"Thank you, Bregolien." Haldir turned to the rest of the inner group. "There are fifty of us and at least thirty-six orcs, although likely more. Plus we can expect Mavlar and possibly the Master Vampire. The task seems doable but I do fear that Mavlar may kill them before we get there."

Dawn gasped softly at the mere idea of them arriving too late. She realized with a start that her arms were still wound around Elrohir's chest and she appreciated the comforting way he rubbed her arm. However, she pulled her arms back around herself and stared thoughtfully at everyone else. She knew she was not a warrior and was 'soft' compared to the others. However, she did not need to let herself give away that secret by gasping at every misfortune. As always, she felt the need to prove she could take it. "So what do we do?" Dawn asked.

Haldir continued. "I suggest we place three long-bowmen on each side of the wall to take care of our enemies from afar; that leaves thirty-eight of us. The rest will form groups of nine to enter on each side; with Vi and Dawn together in the one group. Each group will search each tower and search for Elladan and Sofia." He grimaced. "First group there that kills all the foul creatures that took our friends wins a prize."

Haldir's plan was met with a chorus of approval. "Haldir?" Dawn asked. "Excellent plan, but I think I can add to it." She smiled self-consciously.

"Do tell," he grinned.

* * *

Luckily for us, Damian was called out of the room and Elladan and I were alone. I sighed deeply and thanked God that I didn't have to endure any more groping or torment at his hands; for the moment anyways.

"Hey baby," I grinned weakly. "How's it '_hanging'_?"

Elladan looked at me in confusion, glanced up at his chains, and started laughing. His laugh was infectious and I soon joined in. "Sofia, Sofia," he mused as he shook his head. "Only you could laugh at a time like this."

"I used to have one friend who stated 'I laugh in the face of danger. Then I hide until it goes away.' Except, I don't hide, of course."

"Of course," he gave me a sad smile.

"Why so sad?"

He jerked his head at his chains and mine. "Do I really need a reason, _Lirimaer_?"

"No," I said slowly. "There's something else about our current predicament that's bothering you. I can read it on your face."

Elladan gave an exasperated sigh. "I detest this feeling of helplessness. What good am I if I cannot even stop the woman I loved from being groped by a fiend." He twisted in his chains and grimaced. "I feel so useless up here. Never before have I been captured. Never since my mother's capture had I failed in a task against the Enemy."

My heart ached at the sadness in his voice. I'm a strong, independent female but I recognize how hard it is for men not to be able to 'be the man' (_'or elf in this case'_, I thought) and protect their woman. "It's okay El," I cooed. "We're gonna get out and then you can avenge my honor all you want." I gave him a bright smile.

Elladan examined me for a moment. I knew he was searching my features to see what I truly felt. He's been learning over the last two months that I keep my emotions on the down low and I knew he was trying to figure out what I truly felt. His eyes softened and I think he recognized the tinge of fear that hid in the depths of my eyes.

"Of course I will," he finally answered.

The determination in his eyes made me break into a true smile. "I love you, Elladan."

He smiled back. "I love you, Sofia."

We stood, or rather hung, there in silence for a minute. "So," I started back to the business at hand, "how tough are those irons?"

"Tough. I already have tried pulling at them."

I frowned and started yanking on my chains. They were securely holstered into the wall and I couldn't get loose. "Dammit," I swore. "I am *so* tired of this bondage crap!"

* * *

Dawn eyed the giant wall outside Mavlar's fortress. "I thought Bregolien said we could get over the wall!" she hissed quietly to Vi. "This thing is redic!"

"It's only eighteen feet, Dawn," answered Amras. "This is doable."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Sure, if I was Spider-Man."

"Huh?" said Amras.

"Nothing," she muttered.

Their team consisted of her, Vi, Amras, Elrohir, Airon, three other elves, and four Rangers. Airon stood in front of the wall and Dawn watched in wonder as Elrohir made a running start, leapt onto Airon's extended hands, and hurled himself over the wall. She gulped. "Is that… Um, is that how I'm getting over?"

"Don't worry Dawn. Elrohir is on the other side to catch people. Once everyone is over Airon is going back around to help the other leftover people.

"Ah, Ok." Dawn felt queasy at the thought of jumping that high up. But, hey, welcome to the slayer world. All scary, all the time.

She was the last one to go. Not brave, she knew, but she had wanted to put it off. "Come on Dawn," Airon encouraged her. She took a deep breath, started running, and jumped when she reached Airon. He grasped her ankles and pushed her upwards. The wind whistled through her hair as Dawn felt herself flying. Thankfully, she refrained from screaming in terror, but only because she knew their operation demanded silence. With a small 'oomph' she landed in Elrohir's arms.

"Thanks," she said with a smile."

He lowered her to the ground. "Of course," he replied. For a moment Dawn felt some weird vibes coming from him. Ever since earlier that night when she did the freaky speaking to the earth thing he had been looking at her oddly. She didn't know why and madea mental note to figure it out after they rescued their friends.

Luckily, she was feeling pretty positive about the chances of that. She had Bregolien show her the area before they left and she did a pretty sweet spell that had a miniature replica of Mavlar's lair form in the ground. Perfect towers and walls of dirt erupted from the ground to allow them to strategize better. She was even able to figure out how many orcs they had to face by having ants reenact exactly what was happening at the real fortress. Thanks to that spell they discovered there were an additional fifty orcs hiding in the passages, which left a total of eighty-six orcs against their fifty soldiers. Not the best odds but they had some aces up their sleeves.

Dawn was able to pinpoint that Elladan and Sofia were being held in the central tower underneath the room with a hole in the ceiling, probably some sort of skylight. She had guessed the hole had something to do with the ritual. It was common for magickal rituals to use moonlight. Typically it was best to do them outside but perhaps their ritual required unfiltered moonlight that was directed on just one part of the ritual. If so, then the ritual would require the moon to be directly overhead the skylight.

And that meant, judging from the moon's location in the sky, they had less than an hour to get there.

* * *

The wooden door slammed open again and I saw the bat-like vampire James reverently carrying a long box. He set it down and began placing bones on the granite table beneath Elladan. I struggled to think of something to do because I could feel our time was growing short. But what? We couldn't move!

Hmm…

"So, James, are you excited to be sacrificed like us?"

His bat-like ears twitched and he turned towards me with a look of irritation. "What do you speak of, Slayer?"

"Well, you know," I answered in my most customer service 'helpful' voice, "Damian said that once Elladan and you get drained, Thuringwethil will arise and then drink my blood. I was just wondering if you were looking forward to dying after a thousand years of living."

His head cocked to the side and I could tell he was trying to decipher my honesty. I had a feeling no vampire would give up their life and when Damian told me that something had seemed fishy. After living for so long immortals tend to love being alive and it isn't often you find one who will willingly give it up.

"Your mouth spills lies, Slayer. I am donating a significant portion of my blood to bring about my cherished Mother but I will not be dying today. In fact, afterwards she will grant me with great powers."

I rolled my eyes and looked to the side. "Ooookay. Sure. Whatever."

James paused and then walked closer to me. Up close I could see every last bit of his nastiness. We're talking major dermatology problems here. "What have you heard?"

"Sorry," I muttered with my eyes downcast. "I probably wasn't supposed to say anything. I just thought you knew. Um, forget I said anything."

James snarled and grabbed my throat. "Tell me everything, Slayer."

"Hey," I tried to shrug but having my arms bound above my shoulders made that impossible. "Just what I told you. Damian said all three of us were getting drained. I mean, come on. Did you really think a drained elf and a splash of vampire would be enough to turn those bones into flesh?"

He released me and stalked back to the table that was now covered with the perfectly laid bones of Thuringwethil. Grabbing the empty box he hurled it against the wall where it smashed into several pieces. "They said I was the only one who could bring about the Mother with a small amount of my blood and my rewards would be plentiful," he growled.

"Dude, you're a fucking vampire. Is it ever just a 'small' amount of blood?"

James snarled again and I could feel the anger and blood lust coming off of him in waves. "Perhaps I should sabotage their ritual to enact vengeance for their betrayal. It would serve them right if I drained them of their slayer."

Menacingly he stalked towards me and I swallowed the lump in my throat. What a great fucking plan I had. "Uh, actually, I think if you want some serious vengeance you should drink *_their_* blood. MMM, yum, I hear sorcerer blood is extra tasty."

Now James was only a foot away from me and he grinned, which showcased a shark-like mouthful of pointy teeth. "I've had it before. Gives me heartburn. Slayer blood on the other hand is sweet and is the closest I've ever gotten to being drunk."

"Oh, well, that's no good. No siree! Cause if you get drunk then it'll be hard for you to escape before they kill you. And that would be bad. Yup."

James chuckled. "You talk a lot, Slayer. I wonder if you can scream a lot, too."

"Why have regular Slayer blood when you can have elf?" I saw James turn towards Elladan. "Do you even have elves in your dimension?"

"Hmm. No, none that I have come across anyway."

"Well then, if you wish for a sweet meal then you wish for elf blood. None is sweeter."

"Elladan!" I gasped. I knew what he was playing at and while a part of me appreciated it another part of me was mad at him. There was no way I could watch a vamp drain my boyfriend!

James turned back to me and I could see he was deep in thought. "That may be true, boy, but I know for a fact how good Slayers taste. During my 1,000 years I've drank at least 100 slayers. I believe it is time for 101." He gave me an ominous look.

"True, but after all I am descended from the same blood that your Mother tried to drink so many years ago. She never got the chance because my ancestor killed her. Do you really want to lose out on yours?"

Turning back to Elladan I could almost see the wheels turning in James' head. He gave a low laugh and began walking towards Elladan. I felt my heart pounding with fear. "No!" I shouted. "Don't you dare hurt him!"

Elladan shook his head slightly. "Don't worry, Sofia. Better me than you. Once he's full on me you may be able to get free once they realize they cannot do the ritual."

"Elladan!" I screeched. "You cannot just propose to a girl and then let yourself get killed! I cannot lose you," I whimpered in frustration and defeat.

He gave me a sad look. "I love you."

James climbed on the table, deftly avoiding the bones, and grabbed Elladan by the hair.

* * *

**A/N:**

Yep, I know I ran away for a little bit. My computadora is a cheap whore + I never get internet access. Muy triste.

Anyways…! As always, please review :)


	51. Does Evil Ever Have a Giddy Laugh?

**Chapter 51: Does Evil Ever Have a Giddy Laugh? Or… You Sit on a Throne of Lies!**

Dawn was getting tired. She had done several spells to help the attack and they were taking their toll. The main one is what took her energy; she had made all evil creatures inside the fortress deaf and blind to their movements. It was supremely helpful but tiring. On top of that she had to shield their activities from the other magickly beings. She sensed that there were two others. One undoubtedly was Mavlar and she was unsure who the other one was. Regardless, it was wearing on her to hide from those two.

"How are ya doing, Dawn?" questioned Vi as they neared the central tower.

"Good, good," Dawn answered automatically.

Her spine stiffened as they got closer to their goal. Something was off… But she couldn't place her finger on it. Suddenly, she knew. "Amras, don't!"

Amras glanced back at her as he opened the door to the tower. A stream of flames exited the tower and hit him straight on. "_Pluvia_!" she called and the flames were quenched by a magickal localized rain cloud.

"Amras!" shouted Vi. She ran to him and held his hand. "Are you okay?"

"I will," he gasped, "be okay. Hurry. Continue."

Dawn stared at him in horror; those burns were bad and she feared for her newfound friend. She saw the second team approaching and Elrohir exchanged words with them. Two of them began carrying Amras away. Then the ground began shifting underneath her and she screamed as something clutched her ankle. She kicked furiously and got herself loose as soon as a vampire came out of the earth. Glancing around the yard she saw dozens more vampires were rising.

"What in Mordor?" cried Haldir.

"Vampires!" shouted Vi. "Dammit, James must have made them here! You can only kill them with a wooden stake through the heart or by chopping off their head!" She screamed as one grabbed her arm and she threw him against the wall.

"Dawn, I thought you said we only had to deal with eighty-some orcs!" Haldir yelled.

"Um." She ducked a vamp and kicked it in the knee. "Well, I only looked for orcs… I had no idea there would be vampires!" At once she felt an overwhelming amount of guilt. No wonder Willow still had her on apprentice level. She sucked. Sucked, totally.

Elrohir yanked her arm. "No use feeling sorry for yourself, young witch. What is done is done. We have to get into that room and I need your magick to help me. Can you do it?"

"Elrohir… I don't think I'm going to be helpful," she sighed.

"I believe in you," he said fiercely and his eyes glinted with determination. "You have great power and you will help us save Elladan and Sofia."

Dawn felt something spark in her chest at his confidence in her. Suddenly she was feeling better. "We will both save them," she stated with a smile.

"Well, both of you plus me. There's no way I'm missing out," stated Vi.

"Onward and upward," Dawn said.

* * *

I screamed in anguish as I saw James sink his teeth into Elladan's neck. The soft glow of the moonlight illuminated them perfectly and I felt helpless in my terror. Elladan groaned in pain and I saw two thin trails of blood slowly drip down the side of his neck and onto the table below.

Mavlar burst through the wooden door and raised his cane. James hurtled off Elladan with a shriek and crashed into the wall.

"Fool!" Mavlar snarled. "Could you not control your impulses for one second? Now you have started the ritual early! Damian!" he shouted down the hall.

James flew at Mavlar but Mavlar just waved him away with a flick of his cane. "You sit on a throne of lies! I know you had planned to drain me and I will have my revenge."

"Hmm. How on Mordor did you figure that out? Well no matter."

Damian rushed into the room carrying a bowl full of some dark liquid. "Mavlar?" he questioned.

"Imprison the vampire as I begin the ritual. The fool almost ruined everything."

Damian held up his hand and James froze where he was. Mavlar began sprinkling the ingredients of the bowl over the bones of Thuringwethil and he began a dark incantation. My ears burned at the speech and I see that Elladan was squinting and tears were silently running down his cheeks. The words were like none I had ever heard before. They were darker than any demonic language I had ever heard and I felt a great amount of fear and sadness well up inside me that threatened to break me. I felt moisture on my cheeks and knew that I, too, was crying.

Mavlar finished his incantation and motioned towards James. "Bring the beast here, Damian." Damian flew James through the air and stopped him to rest horizontally between Elladan and the bones.

Mavlar muttered more words in the dark speech and slashed James' throat. James howled but soon his cry turned wet as his life blood spilled from his throat. My stomach turned at the smell of the blood, which was unusual. In my line of work you get used to the smell of blood. But the total events of the night were extremely disturbing.

More words of the evil speech filled the room and then Mavlar raised the knife to Elladan's neck. "Now it's your turn, descendent of the one who slayed our great Mistress Herald."

It felt like my heart was ripped out when I saw Mavlar was going to slice Elladan. I may be unsure about marriage but I was sure about one thing: I loved Elladan and I had no idea what I would do if he died. "No! Please don't! Please don't!" I cried. "Damian, please stop him," I pleaded. "I'm sure you haven't always been so bad, please help him." I began sobbing. "Please! I'll do anything!"

Damian turned to me and gave me a strange look; like I was something he had never seen me before and he was perplexed on what to make of me.

I lowered my head. I couldn't bear to watch anymore.

Suddenly I heard Mavlar give a blood-curling scream. My head jerked up; Could it be that Damian had actually heard my pleas?

* * *

"Are you sure this was the best way to take?" grumbled Vi.

"Yes," Dawn huffed. "This is what my replica showed and they will never expect it." Dawn followed that statement with another bout of coughing.

"Quiet, girls. We're getting closer. We mustn't let them hear our approach," chastised Elrohir.

Dawn rolled her eyes and continued crawling through the vent as she swiped cobwebs and dirt out of her hair. So totally gross. She had conjured a little ball of light to lead the way but it didn't stop her from seeing the cobwebs until the last minute.

Elrohir, who was in front of her (and who she noticed had a very nice bum) began twitching and curled into a ball while moaning softly. "Elrohir? Ro? What is it?" she asked.

"The Black Speech… of Mordor," he answered in between convulsions. "It's probably still too far away for you to hear but, ah!" His hands clamped tightly around his ears. "It's perilous for elves to hear it; it is a bastardization of our high speech."

Elrohir now lay full out on the vent floor and Dawn pulled at his leg. "Elrohir?"

"Uh-oh," said Vi. "Looks like we found elven kryptonite."

Dawn crawled on top of the still twitching elf and placed a hand on each side of his face. "Elrohir. Elrohir. Listen to me. You must overcome this and calm yourself." He stopped twitching and stared at her with fear evident in his eyes. Their faces were only inches apart since the vent area was so cramped. "Your brother and my friend are up there wherever this Black Speech is. You must overcome it or we cannot help them."

"It cripples my spirit," he whispered. "I don't know if I can overcome it. Never have I actually heard it, only stories of it."

"Ro, listen to me. I believe in you. You're a badass elven warrior who is going to fearlessly save his brother and kick some ass. You can do it." Dawn gently kissed his forehead and murmured a spell of protection.

She looked back at him and was amazed at the transformation. No longer fearful, but now his eyes held resolve and he gave her a soft look. "Thank you," he whispered as he gently touched her cheek.

"Alright, good stuff. Let's go kick some ass!" said Vi. Dawn awkwardly crawled off Elrohir and wished there was more room because she essentially had to slide down his lower body to get off. She imagined it would have been sexy if they weren't in the middle of a treacherous battle. Dawn felt flushed for a moment and told herself '_Man, I really need to go on some dates when I get back because obviously it's been a while_.'

They crawled further on until both Dawn and Vi could hear the Black Speech. Quickly Dawn wove protection spells for them against the darkness so they could continue onward. Once they reached the vent the three of them eyed the surrounding. Dawn saw Sofia chained to the side and Elladan chained above a table covered with bones. With a soft gasp she realized Damian was there and wondered how he had gotten involved. Next to Elladan doing some chanting was a slender, tall man who wore a black robe and carried a cane made of bone. Dawn was betting that was Sofia's Graveyard Pimp Daddy.

"Both of them are sorcerers," she explained for Elrohir's sake. The one next to the table must be Mavlar and the dark-skinned one is Damian."

Elrohir turned to her with wide eyes. "Damian… The one who stole the body of Erik?"

"Oh my Goddess," she whispered as she realized what he really meant. "Yes," she answered. Dawn and Elrohir gazed into each others eyes as they processed what Damian's appearance meant. It meant she needed to do the spell and that they needed to follow through on their command by the Valar.

"I can take Damian," said Vi. "Back when that was Erik we sparred a few times plus I've fought Damian before. Elrohir, you get Elladan and Sofia safe before they get gutted and Dawn you go after the Big Bad."

"Sure," gulped Dawn. "Good plan." Of course, Dawn also needed to perform the spell to switch Erik and Damian back… "But Vi?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't kill Damian, whatever you do. Just incapacitate him."

Vi gave Dawn a confused look. "Why? That bastard *_needs_* to die."

"Uh, just trust me on this." Vi eyed her warily but said nothing more.

"Now," said Elrohir as he opened the vent. He rolled out, grasped his knife, and flung it at Mavlar's hand that was in the process of cutting Elladan.

Mavlar let out a deep scream of anguish as Elrohir hurled himself at Elladan. Vi jumped towards Damian and her fist made a heavy sound of impact against his face.

"Yay! The Calvary is here!" shouted a cheerful Sofia.

"Guards!" screeched Mavlar.

Dawn sighed. It was now or never. She began muttering some words in Latin and threw Mavlar outstretched against the wall. His cane dropped to the floor and with a wave of her hand she pushed it away from him.

"Foolish girl! You think you know magick. You have no idea!"

Dawn eyed Elladan and saw that a steady amount of blood was dripping from his neck. Elrohir was wrenching Elladan's chains from the wall with an amount of strength that definitely surprised her. To her other side she saw Vi effortlessly punching Damian in the mouth every time he tried to speak a spell.

That moment she took to check on her friends was clearly a moment too much because Mavlar conjured a twenty-foot cobra that snapped in her direction. She heard him laugh as the Cobra snapped down and she barely dodged the move through a somersault.

"_Interfector arbor_!" she called. The cobra shimmered and turned into a great oak tree. Its branches spilled out and grabbed Mavlar around the waist. Slowly it began squeezing and Dawn smiled at the frightened look in Mavlar's eyes. He recited more words in the Black Speech and the tree disintegrated into a great wave of water that crashed down on her.

Dawn was thrown backwards and her head smacked the floor. She turned to her side and started coughing out water. She cried out as she felt something like lightning run through her body over and over.

"Silly, stupid witch. You are not match for the Dark Lord's greatest servant. It is actually amusing that you were sent as the one to defeat me." Mavlar cackled and Dawn could vaguely see him rubbing his spindly hands together. The pain was great and she wracked her mind for a counter spell but it was hard to concentrate on words. All she could think about was the white hot pain and how to get it out of her. Suddenly she stopped thinking and just *did* something. She took that pain and shot it outward without saying a word.

Mavlar howled as he was thrust up against the wall experiencing the same pain that Dawn had felt. He dropped down as the spell ended and then in front of her Mavlar intoned more words in the Black Speech and Dawn pulled a Darth Vader and began constricting his throat.

"Too late," he choked out. "It has begun." Dawn gasped as a mild explosion came from the granite table. Everyone in the room was thrown back against the far wall, including Sofia who was now free thanks to being blown out of her shackles.

"What the hell?" Sofia exclaimed.

Mavlar laughed giddily… '_Supposing that Evil *can* have a giddy laugh_,' Dawn thought. He practically skipped to the table that was now enveloped by a thick grey fog. "My Mistress! I, Mavlar, have brought you back under the command of our great Dark Lord. Welcome back to the world where you may reign over many deaths."

Dawn heard a high-pitched voice erupt from the fog. "You have brought me back amid attack by the men and elves! What fools brings a being such as me amidst such chaos! Even now I can sense almost every one of our servants has been killed. And I do not even have the blood of a Slayer prepared for me!"

"No-no," Mavlar stammered. "I had one- I mean have one, right here. There are two actually."

Thuringwethil gave a scorching laugh. "You should know that the word 'no' is forbidden to be uttered to me by a mere servant such as yourself. That word is simply not in my vocabulary." She ceased laughing and Dawn could see two red eyes gleam through the fog. "Besides, I haven't the strength to combat elves, slayers, and a witch at the moment. You will pay for your foolishness." The Mistress Herald yanked Mavlar into the fog and Dawn could hear her drinking deeply from him.

"Um, guys? We should probably do something," said Vi.

"Like what? We have no idea how to fight this bitch," said Sofia.

"True, but she even said she is at her weakest now. I think I knocked Damian out so it's five on one. Elladan, Sofia; how are you guys feeling?" asked Vi.

"As Faith would say, I'm five-by-five."

"The bleeding has stopped but I think I'm fine."

Elrohir gently pushed his brother who promptly toppled over from his upright sitting position. "Yeah, right," he snorted. "Stay still, Elladan. You've lost too much blood and I don't want that cut to open up again."

"Fine," grumbled Elladan.

"Sofia?" said Elrohir

* * *

"Yes?" I responded.

"Here's your sword. I've been carrying it for you."

"Gee, thanks Elrohir." I was surprised he went to the trouble.

"Think nothing of it. Really," he added.

"Okay, guys, lets go!" shouted Vi.

Elrohir, Vi, and I leapt up just as Thuringwethil was finishing up with her midnight snack. She stood upon the table and the fog cleared as she unfurled her great wings. In amazement we all stopped and stared. She was truly a sight to behold. Her wings were tipped with iron claws and her skin was shrunken down to the bone. When I looked at her face it was like looking at a skull with just a thin layer of skin covering the white bone. Two red eyes shined brilliantly and seemed huge in comparison to the rest of her shrunken face.

"Children," she began, "Now is not the time. I will come for you soon, but not now. I am too weak and I want to return to my Master before I know if I should kill you or capture you." She laughed wildly and shot off through the skylight. We could hear her enormous wings flapping into the distance.

"Well," I started, that was kinda anti-climatic."

"Tell me about it. I was expecting a big fight with her," Vi nodded in agreement. "Well, things look okay here so I'm going to go check on Amras."

My eyes widened. "What happened?"

She gave me a sober look. "He got hurt. Burned."

"Is he…" I chose to leave my sentence incomplete.

"I don't know," she said in a small voice.

I gave her a quick hug. "Go. We'll be down soon."

I sat down next to Elladan and caressed his face. "How are you feeling _mi amor_?"

"Oh, you know. Like my throat was slit to feed a servant of evil."

"My poor baby." I gave him a quick kiss on the lips. To the side of me I saw Elrohir and Dawn exchange a glance. Likely they were both thinking to themselves how sorry they were to witness our PDA.

"Dammit! You all have ruined me! Now I will get no reward!" I looked over at an enraged- and awake!- Damian before he threw me against the wall magickally. My head began throbbing and I tried to get up but I collapsed. My vision was getting blurry but I struggled to maintain consciousness. I had to stop Damian.

Once and for all.

* * *

**A/N**

_Re: "You sit on a throne of lies_"- I like to honor some of my favorite lines from movies & TV in my stories and since the holiday season is approaching I thought that this line from Elf seemed fun. Even more fun having an evil vampire say it. *teehee*

_Pluvia_- Latin for Rain

_Interfector arbor_- Latin for 'Killer Tree' haha. More or less, anyway ;)


	52. Not Everything Has to Result in Violence

**Chapter 52: Not Everything Has to Result in Physical Violence…**

**A/N:**

_I know I've been a tease with my few Elladan/Sofia romantic times… But buckle your seatbelt cause this chapter is kinda smutty!… I figured after over 50 chapters they deserved some fun after all ;)_

* * *

Dawn looked at Sofia's still form in shock. Her friend had been thrown against the stone wall with a blast of energy and it seemed like she greatly injured. Wide-eyed, Dawn drew her attention back to the awakened Damian. His hulking form crackled with malicious magick and his eyes were seeped in blackness. She opened her mouth to perform a stasis spell to hold him when Damian hit her with a burst of magickal energy that threw her off her feet. Harsh blunt pain attacked her back and elbows when she landed roughly on the floor. She lay there gasping from having the wind knocked out of her.

She looked up and saw Elrohir engaging Damian in a sword battle. Dawn bit her lip in worry when she saw that Elrohir was battling three swords at once- Damian had enchanted two swords to fight for him while he held the third one. Then Elladan stood up and kicked Damian in the back of the knee, which threw off his concentration and the enchanted swords fell to the ground.

"Dawn!" Elrohir called to her in an agitated voice. "Now would be a *_very_* good time for the spell." He parried a thrust and slashed towards Damian's chest.

.

Dawn didn't answer. She knew he was right. By casting out Damian she would end the fight and give Erik his life back. Two birds with one stone. Two excellent deeds indeed…

But the reason behind the spell still made her feel awful, like she was betraying Sofia. Glancing to the wall, she saw Sofia start to stand up shakily with a grimace Dawn wondered how angry her friend would be with her… But then again, if the love between Sofia and Elladan is true then Erik's presence shouldn't disrupt it.

_*Yet*_, then again she and Elrohir are responsible for breaking Sofia and Elladan up so Dawn supposed that was a moot point.

"Dawn! Do it now!" Elrohir called as he flew backward from a powerful kick to his abdomen.

Now Elladan and Damian were fighting hand to hand. Elladan dodged a punch and choke slammed Damian to the floor. "I vowed to kill you, you monster. And today I will," Elladan threatened.

'_Shit'_, Dawn thought. '_Everything is going crazy to quickly._' "Elladan, let him go," Dawn demanded.

"What?" Elladan looked shocked when she used her power to push him back a few feet.

"Dawn? What the _hell_?" Sofia shouted.

Damian jumped to his feet and gave her a wicked grin. "Thanks Dawnie. That was real sweet of you." He began walking towards her and she took a deep breath. After reading the strange characters over and over for the last week she easily remembered the spell. The incantation spilled flawlessly from her lips and she could hear Damian screaming in surprise as he froze in mid-step.

"What the hell? What are you-" Realization dawned on Damian's face. "Dammit! No! This body is mine!"

Dawn felt a shock of ice cold energy blasting at her but she continued the spell.

"Bitch! You cannot get rid of me so easily!" A stronger blast of energy pushed her with enough force to make her take two steps back but she gritted her teeth and continued. A bright light hovered over Damian's body and as it descended he began screaming. Soon the entire light enveloped him and a thunderous crack split the floor. Damian let out one final scream before his body crumpled to the floor and a black cloud of energy left the body and flew upwards.

More tremors shook the tower and Dawn fell out of exhaustion. The spell was difficult enough on its own with Damian fighting back plus she was already tired from the night's work. She had been studying witchcraft for several years but this was the first time she had used up so much energy in one night. She felt her eyelids drooping as the exhaustion washed over her body.

"Come on Dawn, we have to get out of her before this place collapses." She felt Elrohir scoop her up and throw her over his shoulder.

"I did it," she said weakly. "Make sure someone gets Erik. Damian is gone."

"I got him on my other arm and Sofia and Elladan are helping each other down."

"Good," she said softly and then she let herself slip away into a welcome sleep.

* * *

I woke up to the sound of a soft baritone voice singing and the luxurious feeling of someone running their hands through my hair. Opening my eyes I saw that I was pressed against a man's chest and as I glanced up I saw that Elladan was looking at me with a wide smile.

"Finally! I thought you were going to sleep all day, _Meleth_." He bent over and kissed my forehead.

"All day? What time is it?" I looked around us but all I saw were the walls of our tent.

"It is near suppertime. I can hear our friends cooking right now."

"Nearly supper… Damn! I _did_ sleep all day." Then I smiled. "Probably because I was so comfortable." Then I snuggled further into his body"

Elladan let out a laugh and squeezed me lightly. "Let it be known I have no problem with holding you all day, although I was getting worried about how badly you were hurt."

I stretched and took in how everything felt. "Actually… I feel pretty healed. I have a slight headache but considering how many times I've been hit in the head lately I think it's remarkable my brain doesn't look like scrambled eggs."

Wincing, Elladan made a grossed out face. "As always, you continually enchant me with your charming way of speech."

"Hey!" I drawled as I attempted to smack him on the arm. His right hand grabbed me before I could and he clucked his tongue at me.

"Now, now, Sofia. Not everything has to result in physical violence. Sometimes," he winked, "it can just end in being physical."

A delighted grin stretched across my face as he pinned my arms down and slid on top of me. Immediately I felt a strong ache for him and remembered how we were so rudely interrupted the night before. "Oh, yes," I whispered in a husky voice. "You are so very wise my dear elf."

"Naturally," he smirked.

He bent down and captured my lips in a harsh kiss and through it we both communicated our desperate need for each other. As his tongue probed my mouth I groaned in pleasure. Elladan released my hands and ran his hands up and down my body; although he clearly neglected the 'taboo' places. I knew he was being a gentleman and I knew that maybe I shouldn't go all the way with him yet, but Damn! After all the events of last night I. Wanted. Him. Like. Whoa!

My left hand clasped around his neck and my right played along his lower back. I wriggled slightly underneath him just to rub my breasts against his chest and I loved that my little movement made him moan softly. There's something powerful about being able to make a man moan with desire and I was currently delighting in it.

I realized the clean clothing I was dressed in (I assumed Vi or Dawn did it) was my pajamas; just a thin tank top, no bra, and shorts. Essentially it left little to the imagination. Elladan, sadly, was fully dressed in a tunic and pants… '_Although', _I thought with a smile,_ 'maybe not for much longer._'

"_Meleth nin_," he murmured as I flipped him on his back and straddled him. "What are you doing?"

He grinned at me and I slowly traced his smile with my index finger. "Why, whatever I want of course."

"Then I am at your mercy, _Lirimaer_," he chuckled.

I gave him a wicked grin as I lowered myself to his mouth. He puckered his lips eagerly but at the last minute I turned my head from the kiss. Elladan pouted. "Hey," he objected.

I giggled as I went for his ear instead and breathed lightly over his ear. Slowly I traced the contour of his ear as he groaned in response. "Oh, yes, _Meleth_, please do whatever it is you please."

"Hmmm. I'm certainly not achieving my goal if you're able to talk." I began gently sucking on his earlobe and he grabbed my hips and pressed them down to rub against his chest. If only I was taller perhaps I could have rubbed against something else, but oh well…

Slowly I ran my tongue from his ear down his jaw line when I saw the ugly knife cut and the vampire marks on his neck. The emotions of last night came hurtling back at me and I bit my lip to keep them to myself.

"_Meleth nin_? What is wrong?" Elladan sat up so he could look me in the eyes. I kept my legs straddled around his waist and pulled him into a tight embrace. He was stiff in surprise but quickly pulled me against him and soothingly played with my hair. "_Meleth_? Speak to me please."

I shook my head against his shoulder. I couldn't speak. The memories were assaulting me and I felt empty as I remembered how close I came to losing the man I loved last night. I didn't dare think of speaking because I knew I would break down the moment I opened my mouth. Instead I just clung on to Elladan and twirled a strand of his silky hair around my finger. Forcefully I shut my eyes as I tried to forget the images my memory had engraved in my mind. James biting Elladan. Mavlar cutting Elladan. Me helpless in the chains.

"Sofia, are you thinking about last night?" Elladan's tone was soothing, like the way one would speak to a spooked animal.

I maintained my silence. I could feel my emotions rising high and mentally I kept building my dam bigger and bigger. But if Elladan kept insisting on me speaking there would be a flood.

Logically, by the way, I knew it would be okay to be emotional with Elladan. I know that. He loves me. He would understand. This type of reaction is perfectly normal.

Yet, it is so not me.

Try as I might, I still was not comfortable to opening up about painful events or admitting just how much I care about this being that I was holding in my arms. It was… Scary.

Which, I argued with myself, sounds so stupid because Vampire Slayers are not supposed to be afraid of anything.

But I was.

Afraid of loving him. Afraid of letting another man have a piece of my heart. Afraid of losing him and how it would kill me.

"Sofia." Elladan pulled me back and tried to look at me but I kept eyes downcast and allowed my wild curls to cover my face in order to maintain poor visibility. He sighed when I didn't respond and my shoulders slumped. Honestly, I wasn't trying to be difficult but a part of me just wanted to wipe last night's events out of my head… And how can I do that if we talk about it and acknowledge it as reality?

Elladan leaned in and gave me a soft kiss that made my heart flutter, even though it still bore the pain on last night on it. "Perhaps instead of me asking you to speak about your feelings I should lead by example and tell you what I am feeling." My eyes shot up to look at him and the corner of my lip quirked upward slightly. Yes, my darling elf is a quick learner in the matters of my deranged mind.

His hands ran up my thighs and he wrapped his arms around my lower back. "Last night…" he sighed. "Last night was chaotic. I went from being truly happy and asking you to be my wife to being captured by servants of Sauron. Then, while we were captured I was distraught and felt like I had failed you."

"No, Elladan," I protested. "You never failed me."

He pressed a finger gently against my lip and gave me a rueful look. "From the first day we met you made it clear that you could take care of yourself and I respect your talents and courage. But the situation reminded me of the helplessness I felt when my mother was taken by the orcs. We couldn't rescue her in time before," his voice caught and he took a deep breath. A tiny tear formed in the corner of his right eye and my heart broke to see him bearing the pain of this memory. I leaned formed and kissed the tear away and he gave me a grateful smile. "We could not rescue her before she was irrevocably damaged. My brother and I were superior warriors and trackers and we were made helpless in our inability to find her quickly."

Elladan continued on. "Last night I felt that same emotion of helplessness and failure as I saw you chained and manhandled by that foul Damian. Then when James decided he was going to bite you I realized for the first time just how dark my world would become if you were gone."

The amount of the emotion in his voice and the compliment he gave was one I wasn't prepared for so I looked away to put some sort of guard between myself and that beautiful, wonderful, and scary thing he just said. But Elladan gently guided my chin forwards so I could only look at him and not run to the safety of my wall.

"That is when I decided to offer myself to James because I knew I could not live in a world that didn't have you. You are my match, Sofia. Our fëa sing together in harmony and _I Love You_," he emphasized. "But," and he then paused.

"But what?" Both of my hands were now fiddling with his hair as I enjoyed the luxurious feeling of his soft locks.

"But that realization that I may lose you to death and how deeply it would affect me did scare me."

I looked at him in surprise. "But I'm the one that always gets scared. You always seem so sure of everything."

Elladan chuckled. "How can I not be scared when there is a fragile mortal creature I love more than anything in the world who was almost killed before my eyes? How can I not be scared when I realize how deeply ingrained my love is for you?"

Back straightened, I stopped playing with his hair. "Are you too scared to be with me?" I asked tentatively.

"No!" he shook his head quickly. "Never, Sofia. I'm just trying to get you to understand that you are not unique with your feelings. And that it's ok," he added. "Last night put a new perspective on my life and how much I have taken us for granted thus far when in reality, shall the Valar will it, you could be gone from my world tomorrow. And while you were sleeping I watched you and knew that I would be content if I could just hold you for the rest of your life."

Sigh. With that speech the dam broke.

Tears began cascading silently down my face. I tried, I really did try to be strong, but how can I when he is saying things like that? "Elladan," I sobbed as I pulled him against me again. "Last night was awful." I leaned back and lightly traced his neck wounds. "When I saw this I realized just how damn close I came to losing you." I took a deep breath. "Just last night I admitted to you that I loved you. And I did, love you that is. But when Mavlar was going to cut you," I shivered and he rubbed my back reassuringly. "It really hit me, slow idiot that I am. I *_really*_ love you. I had no idea what I would do without you! Our time together has been short but I've loved every moment. Well, "I cracked a smile and winked, "*almost* every moment."

"And when did you not?" he asked with a trace of humor in his voice.

"Those times when you would foolishly think you were right and I was not and I would have to explain it to you why you were wrong."

Elladan rolled his eyes; he *so* got that from me. "Oh, of course."

"Anyways," I continued. "It really hit me last night. And that freaks me out hardcore; that we are so connected. It made me think of what will it feel like when we do actually have to part."

His ear twitched. "When do you think that will be? Sofia, you never did truly answer my question last night."

I shifted nervously, until I realized from Elladan's widened eyes that me shifting while I was straddling him *_probably_* caused some fun sensations down there. "Sorry," I muttered, embarressed.

He gave me a look that was pure lust. "Never apologize for such a thing," he said with a devilish grin.

I smiled in return and wondered idly if I started dry humping him will he leave the marriage question alone…?

But I was wrong. After a moment's paused he asked with questioning eyes, "An answer, my love?"

I sighed and felt the same internal struggle from last night barrage my thoughts. Last night I had finally decided no, even though I had wanted to say yes. But the loss of his immortal life and estrangement from Elrohir and the rest of his family made me say no… I couldn't take that away from him. A slayer's life is short and he deserved more.

But now that I got a glimpse of a world with Elladan… Well, needless to say I did *_not_* like that scenario at all. If he gave up his immortality the day would come when he would die and I couldn't imagine a world without him.

"Elladan, I love you. But I truly need to think about this and how this decision will affect us and our familes. You know I don't want you to leave your family but I do love you." He opened his mouth to speak and I kissed away his words. "Please," I whispered and my lips were only an inch from his. "Please, can we just be together today and think about the future tomorrow? I need to be with you after everything we went through." I kissed his cheeks, eyelids, and mouth. "Can we decide tomorrow?"

He looked into my eyes and I saw that conflict was evident there. Reason combated desire and curiosity combatted lust. Finally he answered me. "Tomorrow will wait. Today will be just me and you, _Meleth_." His eyes promised pleasure and I felt my toes curl in anticipation.

I grinned and felt my heart lighten for the time being. "Good," I murmured. "_Besame_." I gave him a loving kiss and then I pushed him back onto the bed where I where I gave it all my attention to his neglected ear. Elladan's breathing got heavier as I suckled on his earlobe and it increased as I began paying particular attention to the delightful tip at the top of his ear. His fingers began to roam at the top of my thighs and I gasped when he dipped in to caress my inner thigh.

He laughed and flipped me over. "I believe it's my turn to tease you now."

I started to respond but he gave her a deep kiss filled with unspoken passion. My hands moved on their own as they roved through his hair and down his backside. The feel of his lips on mine made my heart race and I almost felt dizzy from the lack of oxygen. Elladan nibbled on my lower lip and I ran my hand down his well-toned arm.

"Mmm. Take your shirt off," I murmured.

"Why Sofia Isabella Ramirez, I cannot believe my ears." He gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "Are you trying to seduce me?"

I growled as I struggled to tug off his tunic. It went as far his arms but I couldn't get it any further without his help. "Off," I ordered sternly.

"Yes Ma'am," he said with a cheeky grin as he pulled it off.

My lips grew into a wide smile as I took in his utter perfection. Elladan had a long torso that was lithe and carved with muscles. Eagerly I stroked his abs and began kissing his neck.

"Uh-uh." Elladan reprimanded my by grabbing my wrists and holding them above my head. "It's my turn to tease."

My face screwed up into a pout as I whimpered, "That's not fair."

"No," he grinned. "This isn't fair." His lips descended onto my neck as he began sucking and kissing every inch of my neck and jaw. Underneath him I writhed uselessly in desire. Keeping one hand around my wrists he let the other one play just above the waist line of my shorts. Every so often in between kisses his fingers would slip slightly underneath the top of my shorts and I felt my breathing increase steadily. The sexual tension was palpable and I was silently begging for him to just rip my clothes off.

Inch by inch he began trailing kisses over my clavicle and the generous amount of skin that was left uncovered by my tank top. His tongue dipped into my cleavage but he refrained from going past the area covered by my shirt.

"Oh Sofia, you are so beautiful." He gave me a long kiss and looked into my eyes. My heart almost tore at the amount of love that was evident in his grey eyes that seemed to sparkle dark blue in the dim light. "I love you, my _Lirimaer_."

"Love you too, _mi Amor_." I captured his mouth in a fervent kiss and shivered as his hands played up and down my bare stomach- Somehow my shirt seemed to rise of its own accord. I knew he wanted to take my shirt off but it appears my handsome elf was a gentleman. "Oh, just rip the damn thing off," I moaned.

His hands paused. "Are you sure?"

"Do it," I growled.

Within a second my tank top was off and I shivered as my bare torso was exposed. For a moment I felt self-conscious under his penetrating gaze but his wide smile increased my confidence. Occasionally at random moments I remembered that I was dating a gorgeous elf who was used to the great beauty of elven women and I would feel my self-esteem dip. But then Elladan would give me this '_Look'_ of love, satisfaction, and sincere appreciation that made me immediately felt better.

Elladan murmured something in Elvish and my back arched as his nimble fingers cupped my breasts and his thumb began to rub over my nipples. I felt a heat building up in lower regions and I was feverish with yearning for him. He teased me until my nipples hardened and then attacked them with his mouth. I groaned loudly as he alternated between sucking and licking my breasts.

"Elladan," I whimpered. Never before had I felt so overwhelmed with longing while still having my pants on! He continued to tease and torment me with his mouth while one hand ran over my stomach and the other played on my upper thigh where a stray finger would randomly dart to my inner thigh, although no further than that. My nerve endings were on fire and all I could do was squirm underneath him and moan softly. The way he was manipulating my senses was extraordinary and I wasn't sure how much more I could take!

After a while he kissed me chastely on the lips and ceased further touching. I moaned in protest as he rolled over to lie on his back. My body felt so close to rapture that I couldn't believe he could stop like that!

He gave me a wicked smile. "Told you I would get you back for the wedding incident."

I started laughing. "You are positively evil, El."

Tenderly he ran his fingers over my arm and I shivered in response. "I know," he said with a wink. "What are you going to do about it?"

Pursing my lips I looked at him under lowered lashes. "I suppose I'll have to punish you," I said huskily. I straddled him and slowly rubbed myself over his hardened crotch. I moved back and forth and then in a circular motion that made Elladan's breathing turn ragged and his hands spread over each side of my hips.

"Please," he begged.

"Please what?" I asked seductively.

He grabbed my waist and flipped me onto the bed. His eyes gazed into mine and I shivered from the intensity. "Please let me make love to you and have you screaming in ecstasy." Elladan's lips curled into a smile as my toes curled from his words.

I gasped as he lowered his hardness to rub gently against my crotch. I bit my lip to hide my huge smile. "Well, that's not really something a girl can say no to."

His hand gently cupped my face and I knew he was allowing me my humor but he wanted a serious response. '_I suppose two-thousand year old males are rather old-fashioned about this sort of thing,_' I thought with a smile. Out loud I added, "Elladan, _te quiero_, _tomame_, make love to me. Now."

He kissed me eagerly on the mouth and then trailed his tongue from my lips to my waist. His hands rested on the sides of my shorts and he slowly pulled them off. I moaned in anticipation as he began playing with the edges of my panties. I stared at him through eyes half-closed from desire and felt pure joy at this moment where it was just Elladan and I in our own personal world.

A loud gasp interrupted our world as my eyes darted towards the open tent door in shock. "What the _hell?" _I shouted at the standing figure_._

* * *

**A/N**

Ohhhh dear. Poor Sofia and Elladan are interrupted yet again! But… by who? Dun dun duuuuun!

:)

**POR FAVOR~ let me know what you thought of this chapter! Writing romance and serious scenes isn't my norm so I spent more time on this chapter than my previous ones now that their stories are increasing in depth and emotion. ~GRACIAS~**

_Amor_-Spanish: Love/Dear

_Amorcito_- Spanish: Little Love/ Little Dear

_Besame__- _Spanish: Kiss me (Command))

_te quiero- _Spanish: I want you (also, I love you)

_tomame- _Spanish: Take me (command)


	53. Elves Certainly Do Not Lurk

**Chapter 53: **** Elves Certainly Do Not Lurk**

Dawn sat over Erik's body in deep thought as the sun rose high in the sky. She could tell that Damian's soul had been expelled and that Erik's had returned. Her spell had worked, just as the Fëanturi brothers had said it would. A light breeze blew her dark blond strands into her face and she iirtatingly wished she had a hair tie. At some point between all the fighting her hair had gotten loose and now it hung in a tangled nest around her face. She even bet that if she sat still enough birds would come to roost in her hair.

She felt the bitter taste of success and failure at the events of the previous night. After passing out in Elrohir's arms she awoke just a couple hours ago where Vi had caught her up to speed before she ran back to Amras' side. Of the fifty men and elves they had set out with they had lost only three. '_Only_,' she thought with a snort. '_I'm sure their loved ones do not think of it that way_.' Ten others had been injured and half of those were in critical condition. Vi was extremely distraught that Amras had been one of them. His burns had shocked his system and he was currently not responding to any of the treatments Aragorn had been administering. Apparently Aragorn was a great healer, only second to Lord Elrond of Imladris, but even his skill to heal Amras was held in doubt.

Luckily, their main mission was successful: Sofia and Elladan were doing fine and were currently sleeping in a tent on the other side of their camp. And Dawn's secret mission of saving Erik had been successful. But the overall mission of thrawting Mavlar's plans to raise Thuringwethil failed. If only they had been quicker, if only they had stopped Elladan from getting kidnapped in the first place… Dawn sighed heavily, knowing that the Big Bad's esteemed evil servant was out and about.

She had been hoping that they would stop the First Vampire from rising and would be able to go home. Then her, Sofia, and Vi could have access to running water, get their lives back to normal (or as normal as they ever got), and Sofia and Elladan would be separated so the Valar could be happy and Dawn wouldn't need to worry about them looking over her shoulder.

But nope. Didn't happen. And Dawn had no idea what Plan B was. She knew they couldn't ditch their new friends and run back home. So that meant they needed to find Thuringwethil and kill her… Which meant they were not leaving Middle-Earth.

Dammit.

Even more frustrating was the fact that she was still exhausted from the major league magick of last night and that stupid Erik was still sleeping! She crossed her arms with an annoyed 'Hhhmph!' and contined to stare at Erik's face. Now that she had brought Erik back she felt responsible for staying by his side in case he woke, when all she really wanted to do was sleep some more. But if he woke up surrounded by strange creatures in a strange place he could cause some damage. He may not be a sorceror like Damian but he was half-demon, super strong, could levitate, and fight pretty well.

Hence, she tried to call on her almost non-ability to be patient and just wait for him to wake up on his own.

After a few more minutes she felt a presence watching her from behind. But it seemed friendly and she didn't think there were any bad guys around. She turned around sharply and saw Elrohir staring at her with a thoughtful expression. Immediately he smoothed out his features and began walking towards her.

"Lurk much?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Lurk? Lurk?" he sputtered with slightly widened eyes. "I was not lurking, young witch. Elves certainly do not lurk."

"Uh-huh. So you were just staring at me for the fun of it?" Dawn greatly enjoyed getting this particular elf riled up. She thought it was because he seemed so serious around the Golden Woods when she had first arrived and it's always fun to poke at people like that.

"No," he replied quickly. "I was just coming to check on your patient."

"Still sleeping. I'm not sure how long it will be."

"Yes, his faer has taken a great toll. I hope he will not be too distressed when he awakens."

"Yeah. Since," she lowered her voice into a hushed whisper, "Lord Namo said that Erik's spirit was just floating around it's entirely possible he may awaken not knowing anything that has happened since Damian stole his body." She resumed her normal tone of voice. "Its even possible he may not remember anything."

"Well, I hope he remembers his love for Sofia," Elrohir said with a grim look. "That will be needed to separate my brother from her."

Dawn winced. "Could we, ya know, refrain from this topic of conversation? I swear, its like you're a skipping CD sometimes."

"Skipping CD? What is that?"

"Ah, it's a device that plays music in my world. When its damaged it skips and one part of the music plays over and over without proceeding to the next part."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Ah, I see. You're indicating that I am tiresome in my talk." He hid his emotions well but she got the feeling that her comment bothered him.

Dawn bit her lip; she didn't want to hurt Elrohir's feelings. '_Wait, why not?_' she thought. '_He *is* tiresome in how often he talkings about an action that I know will break Sofia's heart, one way or the other_.' Dawn mused silently as she tried to figure out when Elrohir stopped being the 'enemy' and when he became a 'friend', more or less.

"Listen, talking about causing misery and mayhem for one of my friends gives me buterflies in my stomach, and not the good kind." She shrugged. "I'd just prefer not to talk about it. And I'd prefer to get a brush," she added in a lighter tone.

Elrohir smiled. "Of course. And I think I can help you both of those requests." He exited and returned quickly holding a wooden handled brush. "Will this be sufficient?"

Dawn's eyes lit up. "Oh yes!" she gushed. "There is nothing like a battle to make me feel dirty and gross. I relish the idea of actually looking like a human being." She reached out and grabbed the brush as Elrohir just stood and smiled at her exhuberance. Inch by inch she started brushing out small strands of hair but winced at the pain the effort caused. "Damn. My hair is sooo snarly right now. This is going to take forever."

She continued her attempt at brushing her hair when Elrohir cleared his throat. Looking up she saw he was giving her a strange look that she couldn't interpret. "May I brush your hair, Dawn? To help you," he hurridly added.

"Um, no you don't have to." She laughed awkardly. "I'm sure I'll get it all straightened out by my next birthday. Dawn felt bad that her feeble attempts at grooming made Elrohir feel he had to help out- She must look pretty pitiful!

A small smile danced on his lips. "No, its quite alright. I would like to help you." He sat down cross-legged behind her and took the brush from her hand. Dawn stiffened and felt weird having some guy brush her hair. Although, she supposed it was the same as going to the beauty salon… Except she doubted a guy that wore a sword strapped to his belt would be a hairdresser!

"Quite honestly, your hair is rather-"

"-A hot mess?" she added helpfully.

She had an idea the elf behind her was smirking. "Certainly a mess of some sort, although it doesn't feel warm to the touch. I assume that is some of your slang?"

"Good guess," she grinned. Communicating to people from Middle-Earth could be downright amusing at times.

"Anyways, your hair is a 'hot mess' and I don't think this brush will be very useful. It will probably be easier if I just brush out your hair with my fingers. Is that alright?"

"Sure," she shrugged. Personally, she didn't think it was a big deal. If he wanted to use his fingers, that was fine with her.

Slowly his fingers began to work nimbly through her strands. Dawn's hair was long, almost down to her waist, and she knew this process would take a while. Which was probably a better way to spend her time waiting for Erik to wake up than sing various TV theme songs in her mind.

Eyes closed, she attempted to relax. This entire past week had been weighing heavily on her and her entire body had been seized with tension. The relaxing attempt was going fairly well since the feel of Elrohir's fingers shifting through her hair felt heavenly. Where he brushed up against her scalp she felt a tingly sensation that made a shiver run down her spine.

"Cold?" he asked.

The way it felt when he touched her made her feel anything but cold. "Ah, yes," she answered quickly.

"Perhaps we should move out of the shade," he offered.

"Um, no, its okay. This is fine." She sighed internally when he resumed combing out her hair. Dawn had no idea why Elrohir had this sudden effect on her… Very strange. Something about this entire hair combing experience was making her feel… strange. Kind of turned on, which was weird. Especially weird because it was Elrohir! The guy who was a constant pain with his (okay, his and the Valar's) '_Let's Break up my Brother and your Friend_' Plan. The guy who often acted like a pompous ass who arrogantly presumed he was right when they argued about that meeting with the Valar and who had been Mr. Rude to her friends.

This time as he combed out a strand his fingers brushed her ear and she had to bite back a sigh. Freaky, the way she was feeling was completely freaky. Even freakier was the sense of déjà vu that accompanied Elrohir brushing her hair.

Embarrassed, she wondered if he could tell that her heartrate had picked up a little. Dawn was sure elves had excellent senses and she tried to think of a way to explain her change. Perhaps she had a phobia about people brushing her hair? Maybe she could blame it on another freaky 'talking to the earth' thing?

'_Whoa, just calm down_,' she told herself. She was letting herself get all caught up in the moment of having an extremely sexy elf run his fingers through her hair. '_Ah! When did I start thinking he was sexy? Okay, sure he's attractive in a beautiful hair, muscly, tall, and handsome sort of way with two pointy ears that somehow look entirely lickable…_'

Strong hands clasped each side of her arm and pulled her around. Elrohir gazed at her with a curious expression. "Are you alright, Dawn? You're breathing irregularly."

'_Oh my Goddess, this is seriously embarrasing_,' was her first thought.

"Uh, sure!" she answered in a high voice. She cleared her throat and added, "Honestly, I'm not feeling too well. I think it's the effect of using so much magick last night and I should probably sleep it off but, well, Erik needs me in case he wakes up and therefore I cannot sleep and henceforth the lack of sleep is making me even more tired and isn't good for regaining my energy and," she took a breath. "Yeah, I guess my body is hurt more than I thought."

'_Ugh! Way to blabber in the traditional Summers manner!_' she thought after she finished speaking. Dawn looked up at Elrohir and prayed that he wouldn't say anything regarding her extreme level of loser-freakness. She noticed the tips of his ears were flushed pink and she vaguely wondered why. He had a concerned look on his face but there was a light in his eyes that she hadn't noticed before. Ever so slowly he leaned forward until his eyes were level with hers and his face was only a couple inches away. Nervousness caused her palms to break out into a sweat and she became incredibly aware of how close their faces were. For a whole minute neither of them did anything and Dawn spent that time admiring, ah observing, his handsome face.

"Yes," Elrohir suddenly spoke as he leaned backward. "After examining you I realize you are looking rather flushed, young witch. Perhaps you should get some rest. I realize now that Aragorn likely will need me to return to help him mix healing salves." Quickly he stood up and did a half-bow without saying good-bye.

'_Well, *that* was weird_," Dawn thought. For a moment she had thought he was going to kiss her, not give her a medical exam. Not that she wanted him to do such a thing, of course. Strange, very strange. She rationalized to herself that she probably was just really tired and her mind wasn't quite with it at the moment.

She turned back to Erik and continued to wait for him, all the while slowly combing out her hair and smiling to herself at the memory of Elrohir's touch.

Another hour went by until finally she noticed a change in Erik's breathing. No longer deep and steady, it became more uneven. She leaned closer to him and examined him closely. Chocolate brown eyes opened themselves to the world and Dawn was greeted by a surprised shout. Erik shot up and scooted backward with terrifying speed.

"What the hell? Where am I? Dawn?" he asked in a terrified voice that tore at her heart.

Reassuringly she held out a hands, like she was trying to make friends with a scared animal . "Calm down, Erik. Its okay. Yeah, its me, Dawn. We're here in Middle-Earth, which is an alternate dimension, and we're in friendly territory.

He eyed her warily. "Middle-Earth? An alternate dimension? Dawn, what the hell is going on? And if you're here, where is Sofia?" He started scanning the camp and eying the various Rangers and elves that walked around the area behind her.

"Erik, everything is okay." Okay, *_that_* was a total lie considering the woman he took as his wife was currently shacked up with an elf. "Sofia's okay, but she's just sleeping. There was a battle last night. Do you remember anything?"

Clenching his eyes shut, Erik began rubbing his temples as he took in a deep breath. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "I remember… I remember being home. Uh, I took my dog on a walk and-" His head jerked up and his eyes flamed with fury. "There was a decrepit old man. I saw him. He asked for help carrying his groceries to his house outside the village." Erik's body began to shake with anger and Dawn prepared herself to magickally restrain him if necessary

Fingers clenched, he continued with his story in halting sentences. "I went to his house. He invited me in, for a drink. It was hot that day, more so than normal. The drink seemed normal. But it wasn't. Knocked me out cold. Woke up to find myself tied up. Bastard old man took some pride in explaining how he was going to steal my body. I begged, I pleaded. My first thought was how I had yet to give Sofia her ring. But he didn't yield. The last thing I remember is him chanting." He looked up to meet Dawn's eyes with a pained expression. "What happened?" he asked in a small voice.

Dawn sighed. This was the part she was not looking forward to. But she knew once he saw Sofia they would have enough on their plate to discuss so she thought she was obliged to explain. For the next hour she told him what she knew: That the socreror named Damian did take his body and for a month he fooled everyone back home: Erik's friends, classmates, and Sofia; all because Erik's memories were stolen in the process. Finally Damian captured Sofia and attempted to sell her on the Black Market when some slayers intervened and for the next year Damian would make Sofia's life hell whenever he could. Then she explained how Sofia, Vi, and her came to Middle-Earth, how Damian was in league with the Big Bad here, and that Dawn did a spell to expel Damian's soul and return Erik's.

What she neglected to mention was how she got the spell… No use letting that be public knowledge just yet. Not to mention, while she mentioned the various new people in their lives she did not mention Sofia's new man. Actually, she avoided speaking much of Sofia at all. Dawn felt it would be best if Erik found out from Sofia herself.

"So, where is my Sofita?" he asked once she finished. His expression was stony and he looked extremely disturbed by her story.

"Well, she's sleeping, like I said. And she really, really needs her rest." Dawn sucked as a liar and was hoping she wouldn't have to weave any crazy tales. She prayed that Sofia *_would_* wake up soon so she wouldn't have to be Distraction Girl.

"C'mon Dawn. I need to see her. I swear, I won't wake her up. I just need to see her."

"But…" she grasped for an excuse. "She doesn't even know you're back. She wasn't really with it when I did the spell, on account of smashing her head into the wall and all. Waking up and seeing you would probably result in a heart attack or her trying to kill you."

Erik sat back, dejected. Dawn's heart went out to the poor guy and she was now feeling even *_more_* guilty that his heart was going to get ripped out when he heard about Elladan and Sofia.

"Well, Dawn, would you mind at least getting me some water and something to eat? I've been smelling them cooking dinner for a while now and I'm pretty much starving."

"Oh my God!" Her hand flew up to cover her mouth in embarrasment. "I am being such a bad nurse! Here I am prattling off and you haven't had anything to eat or drink all day. I'm so sorry. I'll be back in just a minute," Dawn said as she got up.

"Oh, no rush," Erik said with a smile.

* * *

Erik Adoyo felt like he was Austin Powers, waking up from being cyrogenically frozen for 30 years. Everything felt different, from the way he moved his body to the way he spoke. It all felt so awkward… Like he was a stranger in his own body. And in a way he was. As Dawn caught him up he realized he hadn't been in his body for over a year!

It felt like his veins were filled with ice as she told him of the horrors Damian inflicted upon Sofia and others. Staring down at his hands he could almost feel that they were saturated with the blood his body had spilled. Perhaps it had not been him, but this body knew the murder of innocents. A scream bubbled in his throat but he pushed it away. Dawn was acting so twitchy that he didn't want to worry her further.

What he wanted to do was see his Sofita, his Goddess of the creamy carmel skin, delicious chocolate eyes, and strawberry lips. God, all he wanted to do was find her and consume her with kisses. Idly he wondered how she was mentally faring. His Sofita was an expert at hiding her emotions and Erik wondered if Dawn even knew. He didn't bother to ask and assumed the shock of seeing an evil man use his body was one that hurt her deeply. How he longed to hold her, his wife.

A wistful smile danced on his lips. His wife. God, how good that sounded. Many times over the summer at his family's home his heart would sing with joy as he thought of their impulsive decision to elope. For him it was a good decision because of all the drama with his family concerning Sofia, although he knew in his hearts of hearts Sofia wanted a huge Catholic wedding. But she was his and he loved her deeply. It seemed forever since he had held her.

All this time he was listening to Dawn as he tended to his thoughts and when she was finished he blurted out, "So, where is my Sofita?"

Her face scrunched in a nervous look. "Well, she's sleeping, like I said. And she really, really needs her rest."

"C'mon Dawn," he pleaded. "I need to see her. I swear, I won't wake her up. I just need to see her."

"But… She doesn't even know you're back. She wasn't really with it when I did the spell, on account of smashing her head into the wall and all. Waking up and seeing you would probably result in a heart attack or her trying to kill you."

Dammit. He would have to wait to see her. Erik sat back, dejected. Or would he have to wait? He understand that Dawn was just trying to play the good nurse and not cause a commotion but he knew Sofia would realize the truth when she saw him. If he could just get her away for a little bit…

"Well, Dawn, would you mind at least getting me some water and something to eat? I've been smelling them cooking dinner for a while now and I'm pretty much starving." He rubbed his stomach for good measure.

"Oh my God!" Her hand flew up to cover her mouth in embarrasment. "I am being such a bad nurse! Here I am prattling off and you haven't had anything to eat or drink all day. I'm so sorry. I'll be back in just a minute."

As Dawn she got up, Erik smiled. "Oh, no rush," he offered.

Once she was gone he stood up. Dawn had placed him away slightly from the edge of the camp and he observed the many men walking around. Walking towards camp he wondered where Sofia could be. Dawn said she was sleeping so likely she was in a tent and luckily there weren't many. He got some strange looks from the various warriors but Erik kept his head down and breathed deeply through his nose. All his life he'd known about his half-demon heritage and he's spent a lot of time honing his various senses. His nose wasn't as good as a werewolf but it was decent enough, and Sofia's scent was one he's always been able to pick out of a crowd.

There. He took another deep breath and looked at a cluster of tents on the other edge of camp. He began walking quickly over there and his heart beat madly. Soon he would see her, his Sofita. Never before had a woman loved him for who he was, regardless of his true heritage. But Sofia did. She was… Amazing. For years it had felt like he lived in the darkness; never fitting in with others, never able to be himself, never finding real happiness. But when he saw her in class it was like his world lit up and he was drawn to her inner light like a moth. The way her eyes crinkled when she laughed (which was often), the graceful movements of her body (whether she was walking or dancing), and how she always fiddled with something when she was nervous (like the time she had first asked him out on a coffee study date). Erik had been captivated from the start.

As he neared the tents he felt an unexpected wave of nervousness as he realized slightly that over a year had passed. It's been so long since she's seen him… Will everything be the same? Will she be the same?

He wrung his hands in worry as he took a calming breath. No, everything would be fine. Dawn said so. This day was a blessing and once he held his bride he would know he wasn't caught in some strange dream.

Reaching the tent that he knew was hers he paused and sniffed. What the…? His ears picked up some heavy breathing and soft moaning. In a whirl he drew back the tent flap and what he saw made him gasp in surprise.

No, this wasn't some strange dream. It was a nightmare.


	54. Deck the Halls with Evil Entrails

Chapter 54: Deck the Halls with Evil Entrails

A/N: **Squiggle marks (~~~) denote flashback**

* * *

"What the hell?" I gasped.

There was a moment of silence as I stared at the man who had flung open our tent door. Tears were welling up in his chocolate brown eyes and his lips were twisted into a grimace. "Damian?" I croaked. It was him, but… Something was different. The eyes were windows to the soul and never before would I have thought Damian's soul could look so anguished.

"Damian," Elladan snarled. He hurled his half-naked self out of our bed and right at Damian. His fist connected with Damian's jaw before they tumbled out of the tent in a scuffle.

"Shit, shit, shit," I muttered as I yanked on my discarded clothes. I realized with a start that I had never bothered to ask what happened to Damian while I blacked out. I had assumed he was killed, but apparently not. Things got fuzzy after he threw me into the wall and I saw Dawn do some sort of spell but I thought she killed him! Vaguely I remember Elrohir holding Damian's body and Dawn's but I thought he was just carrying the body out for a proper burial. I mean, it would make sense for them to realize that Erik's family might want his body back…

But obviously that wasn't the case.

The image of his pained dark eyes flashed in my mind. Why? Why would he be upset? I mean, that had to be Damian, after all. There was no way those tears had belonged to Erik… Right?

But somewhere in the depths of my soul I knew that wasn't Damian, despite the logical excuses of my brain.

I threw aside the tent flap and saw Elladan and Damian engaged in a fistfight. In the short time it took for me to dress I saw that already a bruise was forming under Elladan's eye and Damian's (I still couldn't believe that was Erik; so many times already have I been fooled) nose was dripping with blood.

"You filthy yrch! You'll pay once and for all for hurting my Sofia." Elladan's palm slammed in Damian's chest and forced him backwards.

"Your Sofia?" he asked in indignation. "She is my wife you home-wrecking bastard!" Damian- uh, Erik???- did a front kick that knocked Elladan on his back, who just stared up in wonder.

"What?" gasped Elladan quizzically.

"What?" I gasped as well.

Tentatively I stepped closer. "Erik?" I asked meekly. My hands were rubbing against each other in a furtive attempt to make my brain realize that this was real life; not a dream and not a hallucination. Just for good measure I pinched the area between my thumb and index finger. Ouch. Okay, ixnay on the dream idea.

How many times have I gone through this already? How many times did I think a part of Erik lurked in Damian or that Erik was returned to me?

Too many.

I wasn't sure if my heart could take another false alarm.

A strong memory of a similar experience flashed in my head and I winced at the thought of it.

_Over two months had passed since the realization that an evil stranger was housed in my husband's body. Christmas was approaching and throughout Oxford's campus you could feel it in the atmosphere. Students were joyfully inviting each other to Christmas parties, frat boys were jokingly carrying mistletoe with them, and various choirs were filling the air with carols. I, however; was oblivious to it all. More scrooge-like than Scrooge, grinchier than the Grinch, I almost had to get some anger management therapy to keep myself from burning Christmas trees and scaring children by punching jolly St. Nick._

_Normally, I embrace Christmas to the fullest. A person does not grow up in a very Catholic home with a mom who thinks she's the Latina Martha Stewart without a natural strong love of all things regarding sweet baby Jesus' birthday. But last year a hollow ache filled my heart instead of the Christmas spirit. It was supposed to be my first Christmas with a husband and I had imagined it would involve us visiting our respective families, baking pies, singing carols (well, me mouthing the words while he sang due to my overall ability to make babies cry with my voice), and decorating our first tree together._

_But not so. _

_Yet, imagine my glee when I visited a demon bar in downtown London with another slayer, Julie, to get some info on a wannabe-Big Bad and I was approached by a fairy? Vaguely I remember Giles going over fairies in some seminar but I more so remember spending that time to play MASH with Vi (yum, I got married to Orlando Bloom and she got Taye Diggs). However, I knew that they had powerful magic and were more in they 'grey' category instead of out and out evil badness._

_Julie had gone to intimidate the bartender while I meandered through the bar. A striking looking man had made eye contact with me and gestured for me to sit at his table in the corner. Intrigued, I had sat down and he had introduced himself as Cyrus and he was a fairy. Mind you, he was not a flamboyant gay man or a tiny pixie-like thing with wings. He was intimidating looking, like a Middle-Earth elf actually, except his eyes blazed the color of emeralds and his hair flamed red in the light. Going on, he stated that he could sense my sadness from across the room and thought he could help._

"_Thanks, but no thanks," I had said and made a motion to leave. His hand covered my own in an attempt to keep me but he removed it after a 'If-you-want-to-keep-it-move-it' look. _

"_Don't be so quick to leave, Slayer. I have a proposition for you."_

"_I'm listening."_

"_There is a certain sorcerer who is interfering with my business and I want to get rid of him. I heard you wanted the same thing."_

_My blood had run cold at his words. "How'd ya hear that?" I had seethed._

"_Sorcerer talks big, likes to brag. Anyways, if you can get me the Pendent of Poseidon I can get rid of him."_

"_I don't want him dead," I had said quickly without thinking. I knew it was a mistake to let the enemy know you weren't prepared to deal a death blow but I honestly thought Willow or someone would be able to bring back Erik eventually. That slim bit of hope is what had kept me going._

_The fairy had smiled slightly. "Nothing like that. But it must occur tonight. Trust me, if you bring the Pendent I will bring you back your lover and we will both be rid of an enemy."_

_I know, *now* of course, that it's a pretty bloody awful idea to trust a fairy. But I knew the pendent Cyrus had spoken of since it was one of the magickal artifacts Willow kept locked up at HQ. I pulled in Vi, since she was visiting, as my confidant and we stole the necklace. I knew Giles would have a cow if we took it since it was worth a pretty penny so we kept our plans a secret. I mean, a stupid magickal pendent vs. getting my husband back? Not a hard moral dilemma in my book._

_We had met up with Cyrus, a 'spell' was done on a tied-up Damian, and Cyrus had peaced out. When Damian/Erik had woken up I thought I had my hunny back; I even kissed him for God's sake!_

_Of course, I realized my mistake by the time he had Vi and I tied up while he drained our blood to sell on the black market to vampires (apparently slayer blood is like a mix of Viagra and cocaine for vampires). Everything was just a hoax and Cyrus and Damian had been working together all along. Cyrus had needed the pendent and Damian just, as he told me many times, loved to twist that knife of emotional pain further in my gut. Win-win for both of them. Cabones!_

_We got out, thanks to pissed off Buffy (damn did I get a lecture that night!), and while I never found Damian I did find his accomplice at a different demon bar. Fairies are hard to kill but like the Girl Scout I was (okay, for two months in second grade) I brought an iron dagger which slid into that fairy bastard like Christmas plum pudding. _

_In the process, I did get a bit of my Christmas spirit back, in an albeit macabre way, through decorating that demon bar with the fairy's body parts. Hey, just wanted to share the Christmas cheer with my local demons, not my fault they were out of crepe paper. I even sang "Deck the halls with evil entrails" as I went along._

_Interestingly enough, I always had great luck getting information out of the locals there afterwards. _

I sighed as the pain of the memory passed over me. The hope that I had felt like an empty hole when Damian destroyed it. What if…?

Erik turned to me and I saw his eyes light up at my acknowledgement. "Sofia, it's me!" He walked towards me and took my hands with his own. As I stared into his eyes, I knew. The familiarity of that look of love in his eyes and his warm smile made my breath catch in my throat.

"How?" I asked, breathless.

"Dawn did it last night. I just woke up and came looking for you."

I felt overwhelming anger that Dawn knew about this and didn't warn me; didn't give me a chance to prepare myself and especially to make sure Erik didn't see my naked with another guy. "Dawn?" I asked in an outraged voice. "What? How could she not tell me?" I allowed myself to wallow in my anger at her; it was so much easier than allowing myself to feel emotion at Erik's return. After all, what if this is just another elaborate hoax?

He grabbed my face gently by the chin. "_Lo juro_, it's me. I know Damian did cruel things to you in the past but you never have to worry about that again. I'm back, baby."

I stared into his eyes and smiled at his use of Spanglish; he knew how much it made me feel at home and the man had purposely started learning after we started dating. My heart told me that Erik Adoyo, my husband, was standing in front of me and I felt a surge of emotion. I pulled Erik into a tight embrace and I never wanted to let go. My arms hung around his broad shoulders and I sighed as he kissed my forehead. "Erik, my Adonis, my Poet," I whispered.

Suddenly it felt like the horrid events of last year never happened. His embrace felt warm, comforting, and familiar; I relished the feeling of him against me.

"My Sofita." He pulled me back to look at my face and I could feel tears escaping my eyes. My heart was about to burst and I couldn't believe that Erik was actually standing here in front of me. He leaned forward and I expectantly waited for a kiss until I remembered.

Fuck.

What the hell was I thinking?

Immediately it felt like sharp talons ripped through my abdomen and I felt guilt for what had almost happened.

I stepped back away from the kiss and looked over at Elladan. His right eye was already swelling and his raven locks were in a tangled disarray. Sorrow swam in his eyes as he gazed at us with his arms crossed.

"Sofita?" asked Erik. He followed my line of sight and frowned when he saw Elladan. Biting his lip he gave me such a look of betrayal that it felt like he had pulled my heart out with his bare hands. "Look, Sofia, I know I've been gone for a while but what the HELL were you doing with that guy?" He thumb jerked in Elladan's direction and he looked at me expectantly.

"Um." I took a calming breath, except it didn't exactly calm me. This was probably THEE worst situation a girl could get herself into. What do I say? What *_can_* I say without hurting either one of these men? I held up my hands. "Well," I started. "It's a bit of a long story."

I sensed Elladan walking towards us and I waited until he was close enough to continue talking. "Erik, this is Elladan. He's an elf and is from Middle-Earth, where we currently are… And, uh, we're seeing each other. Elladan, this is Erik. My…Husband." I winced. I felt like that was the sluttiest sentence that I have ever uttered; something right out of one of my mama's telenovelas. All that needs to happen now is for me to be pregnant with Aragorn's baby, for Arwen and I to have a hair-pulling fight, and we'd have a number one show on _Telemundo _or _Univision_.

The two males appraised each other with grave faces but their arms stayed at their sides. I 'spose its too much to think they could shake; especially because if they do raise hands it would probably be used for another smack down.

"Hmmph. Dawn told me about this place and the people here. Even mentioned twin elves, one named Elladan. What she didn't mention was that you were dating him." Erik gave me an indescribable look of pain, betrayal, and anger.

I bit my lip. "Yeah…" Every instinct told me to run away from this horribly awkward situation. Except that would be very immature… But is maturity really *_that_* important of a character trait? Yet, what the heck am I supposed to say? Where the hell is a pair of ruby slippers when ya need them?

"There you are!" called out Dawn in a worried voice. I thanked God for her interruption and looked over to see her and Elrohir rushing towards us. Other men and elves in the camp were casually looking at us but no one seemed to be paying too close of attention out of politeness.

"Hey guys!" Dawn said in a trying-to-hard cheerful voice as she approached us. "I see you all have met and had your reunion."

At the moment Dawn was *_so_* lucky I was not a Sith Lord because if I was she would so totally be getting Force choked right now. Or at least I wished I had my kitty cat Chewbacca to sic on her. Instead I gave her a death glare and visualized how far I could throw her if I tried.

My two men (ah! Another slutty sentence!) remained in their stony silence so I broke it up. "Yeah, Dawn. Though maybe it would have been nice so we coulda had a head's up."

Erik turned towards me and his eyes glinted with anger. "A head's up so you could have had sex earlier so I wouldn't have interrupted you?"

I bit my lip to refrain from saying anything I may regret later but my emotions were a mix of anger and guilt. On one hand, fuck him for saying that. On the other, my stomach felt sour at his sadness and my guilt increased.

"Ah, okay, let's just calm down everyone. I think it would be helpful if I explained."

"Yes, Dawn, that would be helpful. If you like, we could talk in mine and Sofia's tent," Elladan gestured towards there with a slight smirk.

"Uh," she started.

"No!" both Erik and I said at once. My feelings were on a roller coaster but I sure wasn't going to rub Erik's nose in mine and Elladan's sexy fun time. It was actually kinda unclassy of Elladan to suggest that. I gave him a dirty look and he just raised his eyebrows innocently.

"Yeah, okay, let's sit down out here," and Dawn plopped down.

Before I sat I ran to the side of the tent and grabbed a towel someone had left there. "Here," I said as I gave it to Erik. "For your nose, you're getting blood everywhere."

"Thanks," he muttered, but his eyes evaded mine. Ouch, that hurt to see him pointedly ignore me.

I looked expectantly at Dawn. "So…?"

She sighed and glanced quickly at Elrohir, almost as if she was looking for approval for something. Very, very subtly I saw him shake his head no and I wondered what *_that_* was about. All I know is she better tell me everything or I was so gonna kick her ass, her being a witch and Buffy's sister beside the point.

Dawn must have sensed my anger because she gave me an apologetic look. "Sofia, please know I am so sorry for not telling you before."

"Tell me what?" I asked in irritated voice.

"You know that Willow, I, and the other witches of the coven had tried in the beginning numerous different ways to figure out how to get Erik back. The couple times we did try we failed because the spell wasn't right or Damian was just too powerful." My eye twitched at the sorcerer's name. "So we gave up because it seemed Erik was truly lost. But since being here, I dunno." She paused and looked like she was collecting her words. "I have felt a great connection to this world and it's magick. And last week as we prepared for battle I began thinking of alternate spells to expel Damian and bring back Erik… And I created one."

My eyes widened in incredulous shock. "What? Why didn't you tell me? How could you keep that a secret?" Dawn winced and I tore my eyes away from her to look at everyone else. Elrohir had a blank expression, Elladan looked interested and worried, and Erik looked thoughtful. I had no idea what emotions were displayed on my own face and I fervently hoped it was nothing that would incriminate me against either one of my loves.

"I'm sorry!" Dawn exclaimed. "Please Sofia, don't be mad. I just didn't… I didn't want to tell you and have the spell fail. Especially with how well you and Elladan were getting along." I saw Erik shoot Elladan a dirty look.

I sighed and motioned for her to continue. My brain was going into overdrive and I needed some Tylenol, or a stiff drink. Mmm, yes, a Long Island Iced Tea would be wonderful right now.

"So last night I did the spell on Damian right when he was fighting Elladan and Elrohir. When he passed out Elrohir knew to take him back with us so we could determine if the spell worked and-"

"What?" Elladan positively snarled at Elrohir. "You! You… knew about this? You knew about this spell ahead of time?"

Dawn had a 'oops' expression and Elrohir's eyes widened in alarm as he shot Dawn a look.

I threw up my hands. "Of course! *_That's_* why you two have been hanging out so much lately."

"You knew that Dawn here was trying to bring back Sofia's husband and you decided not to tell me and you decided to help her?" If Elladan had been mad earlier, now he was enraged.

"Brother-" Elrohir began plaintively.

"Oh I see!" shouted Erik angrily. "You pointy-eared bastard! You would rather Dawn have not done the spell at all so you could have Sofia all to yourself while I got my life stolen by that magickal jerk-off." He clenched his fists and I covered one of them in a calming way with my hand.

"No, he didn't mean it like that, Erik. Regardless of anyone's relationships it's important that a good man has his life back." I smiled softly and glanced at Elladan.

"Of course," Elladan said coolly and not very sincerely.

"What did I tell you Sofia? This _pendejo _would rather have me dead." I smiled internally at his use of Spanish. I taught him well. My swear word vocabulary was awesome since I grew up around Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Dominicans, and others. Yay for Stir-Fry America.

"Quiet, Mortal. That is beside the point. I still want to know why my brother betrayed me." Elladan stood up and waved away Erik's words.

Elrohir rose to meet Elladan's angry eyes. "Brother, it is as Dawn said, she did not want to get any hopes up and let people knew. She only confided in my because I was someone who would not tell Sofia."

Erik snorted as he stood up. "Hopes up?" He gestured towards me. "I would be surprised if Sofia would want me back if she was boinking an elf."

Okay, fuck it. He can only get so many free passes using the guilt card. I was now the one simmering with suppressed rage as slapped him across the cheek. He gave me a wide-eyed, surprised look but right now I didn't care. "No one, and I mean *no one* is allowed to talk about me like I am a common whore. Even though its not any of your business, okay maybe a little since we are still legally bound," I added, "but Elladan and I have never had sex and that was the closest right then when you saw us."

"Oh, so that is supposed to make me feel better that you waited? Gee, thanks Sofia."

"She waited over a year, you ignorant fool. She pined for you for a year before gave in to the fact that you were gone. Have some respect," Elladan ordered in a voice as cold as the Lake Effect. Erik looked surprised by the statement and perhaps shocked by his own words.

I was feeling red-hot with anger, at Dawn, Elrohir, and then Erik, and now Elladan made me feel warm by sticking up for me. But overall the tension was crackling around us and I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Just when I felt like something was going to explode Dawn stuck her index fingers between her lips and whistled. We turned to her in alarm.

"Whoa, okay. This," she gestured to all of us, "was maybe not a good way to distribute information. I say that *_everyone_* takes a break from each other before one of you warrior types starts a fight. Go take a walk." We all stared at her in shock. "Go!" she ordered.

I hate taking orders. I despise it, actually. But I also didn't want to have to beat anybody I loved up tonight (well, actually I had no love for Elrohir) so I listened to what she said and stormed off.

Only problem was, it was much easier to listen to others and be angry at people than to be left alone with my thoughts right now.

* * *

Okay, here was the big Reunion chapter! Te gustalo? (Did you like it?)

Trust me, things are gonna get even crazier, in a way you probably won't guess ;) I just wrote the final chapter and Epilogue… Of course, I still need to write the chapters to get to that point but trust me; they are a doozy!! I went to bed last night about 3:30 and tossed and turned because I was being attacking by fluffy, evil plot bunnies! Finally I just got up and wrote until 6:30am and damn am I glad I did :D

And at this point I'm thinking there will be a sequel… Cause I don't think I'm gonna get away with where it leaves off cause I'm sure someone is gonna yell at me *evil grin*

Love you, dearest readers. Until next time!

**PS: Did you like the chapter title? HAHAHA… **I hate that the season starts before Thanksgiving in America and really am not in the spirit (hmm, perhaps that has to do with my serious lack of luck on the job search. Sigh) and thought about Sofia's Christmas after Damian came. Teehee.

So feel free to sing along if you are trying desperately to get in the spirit:

Deck the Halls with Evil Entrails! Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la! It's fun and enter-taining to gut a demon with no refraining! Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la! Before he eats your family or do-og, tie him up like a dirty hog! Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la! Come now my little Slayers, bring out your knives, swords, and ninja stars! Get the demon in the tummy before he takes a bite of your mummy! Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la! Decorate him around the bar and laugh that you didn't even get a scar! Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la! Now he's lying there cut and dead, it's time to take your ass to bed! Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la!

(note: I couldn't really see Sofia singing out the song in her flashback with a crisis at hand but I could not let these precious lyrics go to waste!)

Mellon- friend in Sindarin

_Lo juro_- I swear it

_Stir-Fry America_- the new 'politically correct' version of the phrase the 'mixing pot'. In a mixing pot people lose their culture and become a homogenous group. Stir-fry creates a beautiful blend by keeping each individual flavor alive and unique.

Lake Effect_- Cleveland, OH is in NE Ohio and it is East of Lake Erie. Hence, lots of Lake Effect _Snow and cold. Brrr!


	55. Cute, Cuddly, & Pokey Like a Hedgehog

**Chapter 55: Cute, Cuddly, & Pokey Like a Hedgehog**

Kneeling next to Amras' sleeping body in deep thought, Vi almost did not hear the approaching elf.

"How fares Amras?" Haldir asked softly. She liked Haldir, he was a pretty cool guy and she had started becoming friends with him, but right now she wanted some peace and quiet. After five years of slaying she thought she had seen everything, beginning with the First Evil. Nevertheless, this was the first time she had ever gone into an alternate dimension and it was definitely 'different'. Kind of a mix between awe-inspiring, educational, challenging, and wonderful. The man in front of her had a little something to do with each of those things, in a positive way of course. But right now she didn't have any love for the place that had her Amras in a coma.

"He's still the same since I gave Dawn the update a while ago," she answered. "Both Aragorn and Elrohir have done what they could but his body is in some sort of shock and he hasn't woken up yet. Aragorn has charged me with changing his bandages as needed and watching him." She sighed deeply. "And I asked Dawn if she could heal him with a good 'ol 'Abracadabra' but she said she hasn't been taught any healing spells since they're so tricky."

"Is there anything I can get you, Vi, as you wait?"

Vi grew up with an emotional mother, especially after the divorce, and she tended to wear her heart on her sleeve. It had only been half a day since Amras had been injured but it had been weighing heavily on her heart. She had spoken to Dawn earlier as Dawn watched Erik's body (which, by the way, she refused to explain until she spoke to Sofia and Vi wondered if she had been brewing some mad magic) but she and Dawn had never been close. Sure, they were friends in the sense of major bonding through many near-death moments, but Vi wanted to pour her heart out to someone right now and Sofia was more the go-to girl for that. But with Sofia still passed out from the attack it was a no-go on the go-to girl.

Hence, since she hadn't had a chance to spill her emotions yet she could feel them rising to the forefront at Haldir's simple, but kind, offer. "No, I'm okay," she sniffled.

"Oh, Vi." Haldir knelt down next to her and gave her a hug. It was nice hug and she held him in return and tried to draw strength from him. She appreciated it because it didn't seem like any of the elves were super touchy-feely, unless they were close friends or family. Looking up, he gave her a gentle smile. "Do you want to talk?"

Sniffling again, she wiped some tears away. "No, it's okay. I'll just wait until Sofia wakes up. I don't want to bother you, I'm sure you have plenty of marchwarden-type things to do."

"Exactly. One of my 'marchwarden-type' things to do is to check on the condition of all my warriors and counsel them. You certainly seem like you need someone to talk to. And-," he held up a hand, "I know I am no Sofia but we could pretend if you like."

Despite her emotions, Vi found herself laughing at the image. "Really?" she asked archly. "And how would you act like Sofia?"

Haldir paused thoughtfully for a moment and then tossed his hair. "My name is Sofia Rrrrrramirez," he 'trilled' his 'r' exaggeratedly and spoke in a ridiculous parody of Sofia's slight accent when she said her name, "and I'm totally down for having some 'girl time', " he made air quotation marks. "So, Vi, you can most definitely talk to me. Oh, and perhaps after we can listen and dance to something I call music but my most dear friend Haldir considers pointless noise? Some 'krunking' and whatnot?"

Vi giggled. Some of the elves here could appear stoic but Haldir was definitely not one of them.

"It's good to see you smile, _mellon_. When I walked over here you looked so gloomy it seemed you were stuck underneath a thunder cloud."

"Well, thank you for the entertainment, Haldir, but I do feel awful." She gestured towards Amras and spoke in a small voice. "If he doesn't wake up and get better I don't know what I will do. We have-" she broke off her sentence and Haldir rubbed her back reassuringly. "He is like no one else I have met and, quite frankly, after meeting him I have no desire to meet anyone else." She raised head and Haldir's heart broke at seeing tears glistening in the young woman's eyes.

"Vi, in elven culture we strongly believe that when two elves fall in love their _fëa_, what you call souls, become connected in a powerful bond. I understand this relationship between you and Amras is new but I think you may be critical to his recovery. You two may be only human but I think there could be truth to something like that for your people. Talk to him, direct your thoughts at him; give him the will to live. You may be surprised at what could happen."

After mulling that over, Vi gave him a bright smile. "Thanks Haldir. I'm willing to try anything at this point."

Haldir gave her a bright smile in return and bowed as he got up. "I am glad I could be of assistance. Good luck."

For the next hour VI did as Haldir suggested and simply spoke to Amras. She talked about some of her highlights of spending time with him (like when they started hanging out by her giving him the meditation lessons that he had asked for that turned out to be so much more), joked with him ("C'mon, if I kiss you will you wake up? Cause I'm not exactly Prince Charming"), and gave him orders ("I swear to God, Amras, if you don't wake up this instant you will never again see me wear only my sports bra and shorts while working out with you!").

Some time went by before Vi by chance looked up and saw Sofia stalking out towards the woods. She had heard arguing not too long ago but she had paid it no heed since she already had enough on her mind. Thankfully, Sofia was walking by and could hopefully help her with that problem.

"Sof!" Vi stood up and waved exaggeratedly. She still felt crummy about Amras' condition and if anyone could make her feel better it was silly Sofia.

Head jerking up, Sofia turned around and looked at her with a sad expression that quickly phased into a thin grin. "Hey Vi, what's up?" She began walking towards Vi and seemed surprised when Vi enveloped her in a tight hug. "Vi?" she questioned.

"Oh, Sof, I'm so glad you're finally awake. How are you feeling? Has anyone updated you on what happened last night?" Vi pulled back and grabbed Sofia by the shoulders to get a good look at her. It seemed her injuries had healed but her face was flushed and wrought with tension.

"Uh… I'm feeling okay physically. Just have a mild headache. And… I've been updated a little bit, I guess." Vi eyed her warily and was confused by her tone that was a blend of woe and resentment. Sofia must have noticed Vi's analysis because she bit her lip and looked towards the ground. Mouth widening in surprise at seeing Amras' still form, she gawked in shock at Vi. "Oh my God… Vi… Is he?"

Vi winced. She didn't want to think of that four-letter word regarding Amras. "No, he's alive. He just got burnt badly but he hasn't woken up yet."

"Oh Vi," Sofia said in a voice filled with pity. She grabbed Vi and the two sisters in Slayerhood clutched at each other for emotional support. It was a calming moment for the both of them and it allowed the tenseness to be released, if only momentarily.

When they were finished they sank down to the ground and continued holding hands for the needed comfort. "Vi, I'm sure he'll be okay."

Shrugging, she responded. "I don't know, Sof. My uncle is a surgeon, not to mention I love Grey's Anatomy-"

"Only for McDreamy," Sofia interjected with a small smile.

"So says the wannabe lover for McSteamy," Vi came back with a roll of her eyes.

"What can I say? I have a thing for men with abs of steel."

"As I've noticed." The two girls smiled at each other and this moment was the perfect example of why Vi had wanted Sofia at her side. Being a pretty emotional person it helped to be balanced out by someone who was less emotional, or rather, who hid their emotions well. Sofia contributed her share of funnies to keep things from getting too overwhelming and scary.

"Anyways," she continued and frowned, "if Amras doesn't wake up we can't feed or water him and it's not like we have an IV lying around to pump him full of life saving fluids. So if he doesn't wake up…" trailing off Vi simply shrugged again and brushed away a couple tears. "I'm real scared, Sof. It's just…" Vi just shrugged again and looked at Sofia hopelessly.

Sidling up next to her, Sofia wrapped her arm around Vi's back. "_Oye, hermana. Esta bien. _You know you can cry around me," she said soothingly.

Vi snorted and balked at Sofia's raised eyebrow. "What?" Sofia asked in confusion.

Vi smiled reassuringly, in case Sofia decided to take her words the wrong way. "Well, I know that. But sometimes it's hard to cry around you because you never cry. I know you hate crying so I try to refrain if possible."

Pursing her lips, Sofia seemed to process her words. "Sure I do; cry sometimes. It doesn't matter to me if you cry, silly girl." She gave a bright, if sad, smile.

"Not around me. I mean, it's not a big deal Sof. Sometimes I wish I was like you and stronger in that way."

This time, Sofia was the one who snorted. "Trust me, Vi. I'm not strong at all. I certainly don't feel very strong right not."

Vi shook her head vehemently. "Please, you're kidding yourself. I don't know how you've been able to deal with the Erik/Damian thing all this time with no one to help you. Only a strong person could deal with that, not to mention I haven't seen you spill one tear over that bastard Damian."

Sofia turned her head and Vi was unable to see her expression. Her shoulders were tense and she had released her hold on Vi. Now her arms were crossed over her chest and she sat hunched over. Wondering what she had said that was wrong, Vi just stared uncertainly at Sofia. She wasn't one to spill deep feelings and Vi respected her enough not to pry. But now she considered if she should delve into the mystery that was Sofia's emotional state. There was something very sad, she was noticing about Sofia's overall demeanor and it worried her. What could have happened in the last day?

On the other hand, she had both witnessed and experienced what it was like to approach a subject Sofia was uncomfortable with. Long ago, Vi and some of the other slayers had determined that Sofia was like a hedgehog. She *_looked_* all petite and cute and cuddly but if you bothered her she was a pokey little thing. Oh well, Vi could handle a couple pokes if it meant Sofia would get that glum look off her face.

"Sof?" she questioned. Vi deemed it was a good strategy to leave her opening question open-ended; let Sofia respond as she thought was best. Then Vi could further her verbal attack.

Sofia turned around and Vi was shocked to see her eyes filling with tears that cascaded down her face. She looked forlorn and embarrassed at her display of emotion and rubbed the moisture from her cheeks. Sighing, she raised her eyes to meet Vi's. "_Chica_, you have no idea how many tears I have actually spilled over the mess that is my life." She gave a wry smile and added with bravado, "I just don't let people see, it would totally ruin my reputation."

Still sitting side by side, Vi leaned over and held her with both arms. "You know, it wasn't until recently I knew how much pain you felt and the true circumstances with you and Erik. But I wish you would have confided in me. I wish I could have been there for you."

With her head leaned into the crook of Vi's neck, Sofia was silent for a moment. "Yeah, I know. I know you would've been there for me. It's just…" She shrugged. "You know how I am. Growing up around my brothers and male cousins has definitely influenced my behavior, like not enjoying speaking about emotions and enjoying a good fight."

Vi chuckled. "Yeah, you do enjoy a fight. But you know if you keep everything to yourself you're gonna go crazy."

Sofia let out a derisive laugh. "Girl, I've been crazy for a long time," she joked.

However, Vi knew Sofia's usual tactics. Circle around a touchy subject, make a joke, and guide the conversation towards something safer. "True that," she responded with a smile and then proceeded with her grim task. "Now, what is it that has upset you?"

Letting out a long sigh, Sofia released herself from Vi's hold and reclined on the ground. Folding her arms behind her head, she raised her brow at her friend. "You really wanna hear about it? I mean, don't you have to watch over Amras?"

"Nice try on getting out of the interrogation but I've just changed his bandages and it would be good for me to think about something else for a while."

Sofia gave her a stern look. "Uh-huh. Using my pain to forget your own?" she teased lightly.

Vi smiled. "Something like that. Anyways, enough of the banter. What happened?"

"Well," Sofia said haughtily and sat up with her hands on her hips. "Did you know that freaking Dawn brought back Erik?"

"Huh? I saw her sitting next to Damian… I wondered why there weren't more guards but she said she wouldn't explain until she talked to you first."

"Yeah, well the damn little witch waited too long to talk to me. That wasn't Damian, he's gone. She did a spell and Erik is back."

Vi's eyes grew big in disbelief. There had been many times, both which she had experienced and ones she had heard about, where they thought Erik was back but it was never true. This seemed unbelievable. Covering her hand to her mouth she whispered in a shocked tone, "No!"

"Oh *_yes_*!" Sofia answered. Then Sofia proceeded to prattle off everything that happened, from Erik walking in on her and Elladan half-naked right up to the big conversation with Dawn and everyone else. "I mean, can you believe how Dawn acted? And Elrohir!?" she asked indignantly.

"Wow… Are you sure? Are you sure it's him? Really?"

"Vi, I *_know_* it was him. This was no cheap magician's trick or Oscar-worthy acting. My _corazon _knew it when I saw him, even if my mind wasn't ready to believe it yet. And when he held me…" She sighed. "It's him."

Sitting back, Vi wrung her hands. Her own _corazon _went out to Sofia and she couldn't believe the events of the last hour. "How are you feeling about it?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "I am about to explode with feelings." She threw her arms outward dramatically and made an explosion noise as she fell down.

"Okay, okay. Well let's start small. Let's start with Erik being back. How do you feel about that?"

"Let's start small by starting with *Erik*? Yeah, _chica_. Real small." Sofia rolled her eyes and Vi slapped her arm.

"Hey! C'mon now."

Sofia jumped up and gave Vi an unsteady look. "I'm just… _Tengo miedo_, " she admitted as she switched back into Spanish. Thank goodness Vi was from Texas and worked at a Mexican restaurant in high school. "_No se que quiero_." Sofia sighed. "_No puedo hablarte o nadie, ahoraita_. _Me entiendes? Mi cabeza_," she rubbed her temples gingerly. "_Todo loco, sabes_?"

Vi gave her a long look. "_Lo se_," she breathed and threw up her hands. "But don't go all Lone Ranger on me."

"Thanks," she said softly. Then she added, "He'll wake up soon. Don't worry." Vi nodded in appreciation and then Sofia began running out into the woods.

Vi shook her head. That girl was impossible but Vi could understand not wanting to talk about anything just yet. Hell, she would have no idea what she would do if she was in her shoes.

Then she sat down next to Amras and smoothed back his long brown hair. Her hands traced the contours of his face and she desperately wished he would open those big, beautiful green eyes of his. Resting her hand on his broad shoulder, Vi gave him a concerned look. She knew that time was running out. If they were back in her dimension Amras would have been fine with the proper medical equipment.

But they weren't.

She huddled on the ground and wrapped her arms around her knees.

The sun was already beginning its descent into the horizon since it was late afternoon but there were still five hours before nighttime came. She sighed. This was the longest day of her life.

Except… Something she had just thought made an idea tickle the back of her brain. If only they were back in her dimension… Huh.

Vi smiled widely. Lying down, she closed her eyes and prayed for sleep to come. And with that, a wonderful dream.

* * *

**I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, DEAREST READERS**: When I first started writing I had no idea what to call this story so the working title became 'A Vampire Slayer in Middle Earth'. However, I know that is kinda boring + self-explanatory. I've been thinking that the title 'Que Sera, Sera' might be a better fit (seeing as its Sofia's lil anthem concerning her life in Middle-Earth).

**WHAT DO YOU THINK? **Would it be confusing to change the title so far into the story? Is the title a good fit? Do you have a better suggestion? Or do you like aVSiME? Please let me know; you're feedback is always greatly appreciated :D

_Mellon- _(elvish) friend

_Oye, hermana. Esta bien: _Hey sister. It's ok.

_Chica_- Girl

_Corazon_- heart

_Tengo miedo…No se que quiero…No puedo hablarte o nadie, ahoraita_. _Me entiendes? Mi cabeza_,… _Todo loco, sabes_?"--- I'm afraid… I don't know what I want…I can't talk to you, or anyone right this second. You get me?… My head… Everything is crazy.

_Lo se- _I know (or, I know it)


	56. The Elven Inquisition, Parte Uno

**Chapter 56: The Elven Inquisition, Parte Uno**

Dawn was leaning against a tree and musing about the recent events in her life. That 'talk' did *_so_* not go the way she imagined. Not to mention, it looked like Erik's arrival did not mean that him and Sofia would automatically get together. _'Great plan, Oh Mighty Valar,_' she thought wryly.

"You look deep in thought," came an observant voice from behind her. Dawn grabbed her chest and looked up in fright.

"Jeez! What is up with you and sneaky entrances? Didn't your momma ever tell you not to sneak up on someone?"

Elrohir smirked and sat down across from her. "She encouraged it, actually. My brother and I were excellent at sneaking up on our father and his Chief Advisor, Erestor, when we were elflings. She found it very amusing." He settled down across from her and crossed his legs. Dawn found it interesting how graceful the elves were. Even something that makes most people seem awkward, like sitting down Indian-style, they were able to pull off and look ridiculously refined. Definitely not fair.

"Well, take my advice. Do it again and I'll turn you into a frog, Elf."

Elrohir guffawed. "A frog? Of all things, why a small amphibian?"

Dawn shrugged. "In our dimension there's a popular fairy tale told to children about a witch that turns a prince into a frog."

"Indeed? And what happens to the frog?"

"Oh, he has to convince a princess to kiss him and then the spell is broken. Then they rule the kingdom and live happily ever after."

Elrohir's face broke out into an amused grin. "Interesting. Happily ever after, is it?"

"Yeah, it's how all of our fairy tales and stories to children end. Gives 'em something to hope for until they become adults and realize it's all a lie."

"A lie?"

"Ah, never mind." She already had been questioned about her negative views on love and marriage already by the others at the wedding and she didn't feel like getting any of those 'Poor Dawnie' looks. "I'm sorry," she confessed, partly to change the subject.

"For what?" he asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"For outing you to Elladan about your role. I didn't mean to make him pissed at you." Dawn bit her lip; she really did feel bad about that. That admission definitely incensed the overall anger of the conversation between everyone.

Elrohir grabbed her hand and held it tenderly. She was extremely conscious of how warm he felt. And how large his hand was. Made her wonder what else was large on his body… '_Stop it, Dawn_!' she silently yelled at herself. Geez, where were these random thoughts coming from? She should *_not_* be thinking about Elrohir like that!

"Worry not, Dawn." His tone was reassuring and calm; not at all like what she had expected. She had expected him to be angry and use that icy-angry voice she had heard him use with Sofia several times before. "He was bound to find out sooner or later. Regardless, it is only fair that if Sofia is going to be, how did you say it- pissed?," the elf tried to hide an amused smile, "then I should not walk away unscathed."

"Really?" Her eyebrows drew up in surprise. "I, well, I thought you would be mad. He's really angry with you."

He shrugged again and his eyes focused on something in the distance. "This is not the first time one of us have been extremely angry with the other, especially over a female. My brother and I are too linked to let anger eat away at out bonds for long. I will give him some time, we shall talk, and things will be resolved. Besides, I know it was a simple mistake on your part."

Elrohir was still staring off into his own world but his hand still covered her own. It bothered her that this one touch was affecting her more than she wanted to admit. Perhaps she was wrong when she tried to explain away the reaction her had on her earlier had been due to her lack of sleep.

"Dawn," he began in a soft voice and then he hesitated.

"Yeah?"

"You seem to possess quite a bit of magickal skill. Where does it come from? Do you descend from a family of witches?" While his tone was rather breezy, his intent gaze made her wonder where this random question came from.

"Uh, no, actually. My sister, however; is a Slayer. Kind of the original, really. It was my mentor Willow that used a spell to share her power with all the girls who could potentially be a slayer." Her eyes darted uneasily around the greenery and she delicately pulled her hand out of Elrohir's. Questions about her heritage made her uneasy. For one, there was still a lingering fear that had existed even after Glory's destruction that if anyone knew the truth they would hurt her. Besides that involuntary reaction, she just felt extremely awkward about the situation. It's not really something people understood easily, not to mention she hated to draw attention to her non-personhood.

"Oh, did you get your magick from your sister?" he continued in a rather annoying and persistent fashion. What was this, the freaking Elven Inquisition?

"Well," she began thoughtfully. "Something like that." Technically she was created partially from Buffy's blood and that was certainly a major magickal transaction.

"And your mother? Did she have her own powers?"

Immediately her face darkened. The world might say that Dawn came into this world as a bundle of mystical energy known as the 'Key' who could open portals to dimensions, but Dawn stubbornly refused that truth of that thought. Sure, she knew that monks had taken the power of the key and transformed it into a teenage girl in order to hide it from Glory and that the teenage girl and the people in Buffy's life had fun, shiny, fake memories of Dawn growing up. That was the reality.

But it wasn't her reality. Dawn didn't care about the hard truth of her life. Because to her the truth was that Dawn had been born to Joyce and Hank Summers and had an older sister named Buffy. That was her world, it was all she knew, and she loved it with every fiber of her being.

Even if that world included a dad who never wrote or called and a mother who was six-feet under.

"Dawn? Did I say…" She looked up. Elrohir looked concerned at her reaction.

"My mother died when I was sixteen, eight years ago. As far as I knew, she didn't have any special abilities." She stated this in a detached tone as she tried to ignore the flash of pain at the memory of her mother's death.

"I am very sorry to hear this."

Dawn shrugged. All of a sudden she was really not enjoying this elf's company. "It was a long time ago," she mumbled. So long ago, yet still she could feel the pain like it was yesterday. With regret, she realized that it had been a long time since she had thought about her mother. Her life was so hectic, she simply had forgotten. How awful of her! Now waves of guilt assaulted her and she looked up in order to leave. She needed to get away from Elrohir and go take a walk somewhere.

But something in her eyes stopped her. Pity was the emotion she had expected to see on his face, but that wasn't there. Instead there was a look of someone else who had lost a dear loved one. She knew that look when she saw it. After all, living in the Slaying world she knew a lot of people who had lost loved ones. His eyes possessed a haunted look and his face seemed tense with pain.

Once again his hand clasped her own and she looked into her eyes. "Forgive me for making you remember such a painful thing. I did not know and I regret my relentless questions."

"It's all right, you didn't know," she assured, although she was surprised by his apology. From talking to the others and even the times when they talked (or rather argued, when it came to the Erik spell) Dawn had gotten the impression that he was, well, kind of an ass. She certainly hadn't expected him to apologize at all. Once again, Dawn was reminded that she kept glimpsing sides to Elladan's personality that contradicted what she had heard and she wondered if maybe he wasn't such a bad guy after all.

"No, young witch, I do know. Not about your mother, of course, but what the pain of losing a mother can be and how deeply it can affect."

Impulsively, Dawn leaned into his chest and hugged him. Elrohir seemed surprised; she knew elves weren't super touchy except to close friends and kin. She wondered if maybe she had stepped outside of elven social bounds and was about to pull back when his arms encircled around her. It was… kind of sweet. Comforting. Nice to be with someone who knew what it was like to lose a mother. Something about the embrace even felt familiar, but she had no idea where that came from. Her face was in the crook of his neck and she breathed in the smell of his skin. He smelled like the grass after a night of rain; very fresh and sweet. She exhaled softly and suddenly she felt him sitting her down as he ended their hug abruptly. His arms were rigid at his sides and he appeared nervous.

"My mother has been lost to us for many centuries, although she does still live, just not here."

Dawn gave him a confused look. "So… she's not dead?" She got a little annoyed by him making it seem like they were bosom buddies with the shared experience.

He held up his hands in a 'wait' gesture. "She was attacked and tortured by orcs. My brother and I had rescued her in time to save her from physically dying but her spirit had already begun to decay. Our father healed her wounds but he could not heal her spirit. You see, Dawn, elves are tied to Middle-Earth. We are immortal and we are tied to this world until the end."

Dawn's eyebrows rose. "Whoa."

Elrohir gave a small smile. "Whoa, indeed. Anyway, my mother could no longer live in this world so she sailed in a ship to Valinor, where elves go to live when they are tired of this world."

"Oh, I think I heard about that place. It's like your heaven?"

"From what I have heard of your world, it is a similar concept. When elves are tired of their long lives or have suffered traumas like my mother had, they go there where our kind once lived a long time ago. It is said to be peaceful and beautiful, although I have not seen it. Few who still roam Middle-Earth are ancient enough to have lived there."

"So," Dawn tried to clarify, "when an elf dies they go there too?"

He shook his head. "No, if an elf is killed in battle they are sent to Mandos, the halls of the Lord Namo who we met., as are the _faer _of men. Sometimes the _faer _of an elf is sent back to Middle-Earth where they are born again. The great Lord Glorfindel, who lives with us in Imladris, is one of the few who has experienced such a thing."

"Huh. So not everyone gets reincarnated and comes back?"

Elrohir looked suddenly forlorn. "That I do not know. Few do but it is possible that maybe more do and we are unaware of it, or Lord Namo waits for a time in the future to send others out. You see, his Halls of Waiting are for the dead to look upon their life and contemplate such things that they had done and what they would do if ever released. It is likely that such an experience is quite time consuming and it would be hard to say when an individual is ready to come back."

Dawn tried to get all the information straight. This Middle-Earth place sure was different. "But your mom does live, just in Valinor? Can you visit her?"

Elrohir chuckled. "I'm afraid not, young witch. Once one is in Valinor there is no way to come back. The decision to go there is not made lightly."

"Damn, that sucks." Then she covered up her mouth in embarrassment. Like she needed to tell him that!

Elrohir raised one eyebrow and pursed his lips. "Indeed," he simply stated. But she noticed his eyes twinkled a bit and she hoped he was more amused by her verbal skills instead of annoyed at her harsh observation.

There was a moment of silence until Dawn couldn't help but ask the next question and she hoped he wouldn't mind. "I don't mean to be rude, El, but I was wondering… I know your mother is alive and one day you will see her but she's been cut out of your life for hundreds of years. How on earth have you dealt with that? I'm sorry to ask, it's just my mom's been gone less than a decade and I still have a hard time with it." She gazed at him imploringly and hoped he would answer her question.

He regarded her for a minute. "I imagine for you it will get easier over time," he said kindly and once again his hand found hers. "The memory capacity of mortals allows pain to decrease over time. For elves, we can choose to set the memory aside, yet it never fades with time. Our memories are strong and can be as sharp as steel. How have I done it? It is often a struggle, furthermore due to the burden Elladan and I share, but I have continued on because of the strength of him and the rest of my family. It greatly helps that Elladan and I have sought to avenge her through our campaign of killing each orc that plagues Middle-Earth."

"Burden?"

His eyes looked away and Dawn realized perhaps she had strayed on a too touchy subject. She didn't quite know what to say. "So, family and killing," she said to change the subject. "That seems like a good combination to battle grief." She was pleased to see Elrohir's smile and knew her light remark had been the correct one.

Even more pleasing was the fact that he was still holding her hand…

Not that she cared, of course.

* * *

**A/N**

Hmmm… Now why would Elrohir be interested in Dawn's background? Let me think… ;)

I'm curious, dearest readers. Which pairings do you like the best?

Sofia/Elladan

Sofia/Erik

Dawn/Elrohir

Vi/Amras

…………………. I need your perspectives, as always. And of course, let me know what you think about the possible title change.

THANKS!!!!!!!!


	57. The Elven Inquisiton, Parte Dos

**Chapter 57: The Elven Inquisition, Parte Dos**

**A/N:**

**This chapter is dedicated to one of my most amazing and supportive readers: **dmnq8**. Thank you so much for taking and interest in Sofia's life and reading. Especially thank you for all of the GLORIOUS reviews that made me engage in many happy dances around my laptop. I really appreciate all the feedback and questions. Eres fantastico, gracias por todo! :)**

* * *

Elrohir felt quite content holding Dawn's hand. She radiated a sense of calmness in him that he had not felt in a long time. Curiosity had begun to gnaw at him as to who, or what, she was exactly and he was dismayed to learn she did not descend from a magickal background. Several different theories swarmed through his mind as to what her display the previous night had meant and he was going mad from being unable to decipher this particular riddle.

Looking at her now, she did not appear like a creature of great power. Her lips were pulled back in a rather goofy, yet charming, smile and her green eyes emanated lightness and warmth. A well-fitted, green dress hugged her slender body and the long tresses that he had combed out earlier swished carelessly across the bodice of her dress.

Thinking about her hair made him feel… Guilty? Satisfied? Perhaps a bit of both. It was selfish of him to comb out her hair but it had been terribly tempting. He knew, as he had been complaining to Elladan about for the last two months, that it was selfish to toy with the emotions of mortals. On the outside Dawn had not taken much notice of the way his nimble fingers had worked through her strands but he had felt her heartbeat speed up. Surprisingly, that had given him pleasure. Perhaps a bit too much pleasure, for he had almost kissed the young witch. Certainly he had stopped beforehand, for he did not want to engage in behavior he had counseled his brother against. It was one thing to have a night of pleasure with a random mortal woman but Dawn was in an entirely different category.

Dawn continued chatting on energetically, yet Elrohir had a difficult time following her speedy speech. He was unfortunately caught up staring at her lips and memorizing how they moved.

Ah, he was a fool. All who hope are fools.

But he could not quiet his inner voice that was perplexed by her performance working the protective spell that Aragorn had requested at the camp last night. The way her eyes radiated that shade of green, how she so easily communed with nature, how she had conversed with Kementári… All three characteristics were shared with only one other person Elrohir knew of. Someone who he had not thought of in a very long time. Someone he was unsure if he could even think of her name lest his heart suffer once more with the memory of it.

His last image of her flashed in his mind. The memory of her broken, abused body hanging dead from a tree. Her beautiful golden locks ripped off clean off her scalp. Those eyes, those beautiful emerald eyes, no longer in their sockets.

He shivered.

"El? What's wrong? You've been all spacey." Elrohir rushed from that painful memory to find a pair of concerned green eyes gazing at him. She squeezed his hand and he calmed at her touch. Whatever or whoever this girl may be, her presence was certainly one that noticeably made him feel better. Ah…He felt that kindle of hope take light again.

"Spacey?" he inquired with a raised brow. Damn. He should be more careful of his reactions around Dawn.

She smiled and rambled. "Ya know, like you're all in outer space; like your mind is out of this world and hanging out on the moon or something." During her response she had released his hand to gesticulate with both hands something, he supposed himself, flying out onto the moon.

His lip quirked up slightly. Typical elven protocol indicated that elves, as a race, were not very expressive around mortals. It just wasn't in their nature. Not to mention, the majority of elves over the last couple thousand years stayed away from mortals so there were not many opportunities to begin with. Their true personalities and mannerisms came out around their own kind, especially those they were close to. Of course, he and Elladan were quite different from the rest of their kind. A small amount of _Edain _blood coursed through their veins and they traveled extensively with their _Dunedain _brethren. Therefore Elrohir was used to mortal ways and feeling comfortable with them.

And Elrohir was quickly finding it hard to refrain from being himself around this girl. Conversations and time spent with her were beginning to feel quite enjoyable. Her way of speech was highly amusing. "Dawn, I am always amazed at how you never pass out while you talk."

"How so?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

"You speak so quickly it is amazing you give yourself time to breathe."

"Hey!" She swatted his arm. "Don't make fun of my talking! I suppose it would be better if," here her voice lowered, slowed, and she enunciated each syllable dramatically, "I spoke quite properly like you elven folk here?"

"Yes, actually. And hasn't anyone told you never to swat an elf Lord? That is a surefire way to end up in trouble, young witch." He kept a stern face but he knew his light eyes twinkled with mirth.

"Please," she scoffed and let out an audible sigh. "As if I am scared of you."

Ah. She certainly opened the door with that statement. He had many responses to choose from and he was somewhat tempted to use this as an excuse to touch her. But… No. That would not be proper.

Instead he gave her a mysterious smile. "Perhaps one day, when you least expect it, I shall see you take back those words, young witch."

He got the desired reaction and enjoyed her bout of laughter. "You know, since last night I've been practicing more of this communing with nature magick and lemme tell ya, if you attack me I'm pretty sure I can get one of my tree friends to attack you."

Interesting. "You commune with trees?"

She shrugged. "A little, while I was waiting for Erik to wake up. It's kind of, well, amazing." Dawn burst into a large smile. "I can't believe I have never tried it before! My mentor, Willow, has accessed this type of power before but I never did. I'm not sure if maybe my powers are growing or it's this place, but it's so easy here. And I have your sister to thank for it!"

"Indeed? How did Arwen help you?"

"When we were setting up for Orophin and Ariellan's wedding she told us how the elves have been speaking to trees since their beginning. Actually, now that I think of it, do you ever do that?"

"Why do you ask?" He threw in a question to put off answering hers.

"Well, I guess I was wondering if all elves do it or what. It would be cool to talk to people about it. Goddess knows it's not something I Sofia or Vi would get."

She gazed at him innocently enough and he wondered if she could see the pain in his eyes at her words. However, he was very old and very experienced in hiding emotion, especially from traveling with humans for centuries. When he was young his _meleth _had loved to tell him about her conversations with the _olvar _and _kelvar_.

Hmm. Perhaps spending time with Dawn was not as pleasurable as he had deluded himself into thinking.

"Yes, I can. When I was young I had enjoyed it very much." With his meleth. "For a time, actually, I lived alone and the plants and animals were my only companions to speak to." After her death, when he could not stand to stay at home in Imladris. "But since then, I do not do it often."

"Why not?"

By Mordor, this witch was awfully inquisitive. Of course, she couldn't know his true thoughts on the topic and was not to blame for her curiosity. He shrugged. "It is just not in my nature as much." And it made him remember unpleasant memories… And pleasant ones as well.

Dawn looked as if she was going to question her further but he held up a hand to stop her. He could feel Elladan's presence near them and Elrohir knew that his brother searched for him. Elladan waited now, waited for Elrohir to approach him. "I'm sorry Dawn, but I believe my brother needs to speak to me now. He is a little farther into the forest."

"Oh, of course. Well…" she shrugged self-consciously; perhaps she sensed his unease with the turn in their conversation? "Thanks for coming by to chat. I'm glad you're not mad. And good luck with Elladan."

He stood up and inclined his head to her. "Thank you, Dawn."

Then he walked away to where his brother waited, with his heart filled with foreboding. What he had said to Dawn had been true- His bond with his brother was strong enough to outlast any negative situation. But still, that did not mean that Elrohir enjoyed having his brother feel so betrayed by him. He sighed and prayed to the Valar that his brother be merciful.

For, if things went as planned, his brother would need him more than ever.

* * *

**A/N:**

_**Dearest Readers~**_

Oops, this chapter is really short. This chappie originally ended up being super long so I had to split it and this was the best place to fix it.

Thank you so much for reading! Please know that reviews make me happier than a kitten with a ball of yarn! :D So please give me some more *puppy dog eyes*

**QUESTION:**

About 2 chapters from now I am sending TWO BUFFYVERSE CHARACTERS to MIDDLE-EARTH on a special mission from Willow. I have a good idea of who I want but I'm not just writing this story for myself. WHO DO YOU WANT? I am open to suggestions, my darling readers :)

**Vocab:**

_Kementári_- What the elves call her but she is also named Yavanna. She is the Vala that cares for the _olvar_ and _kelvar_, the plants and animals.

_Meleth_- Love (noun)

_Edain_- Race of mankind


	58. Why This Short, AverageLooking Mortal?

**Chapter 58: Why This Short, Coarse, Average-Looking Mortal?**

He moved soundlessly through the brush of the woods. Not that he was attempting to conceal his presence from Elladan; it was just the way elves were. Elrohir found it awfully amusing how loud humans were; even his distant kin the Dunedain. Eru knows he enjoyed poking fun at Aragorn for such things, but such actions were certainly required of his role as a foster big brother. He grinned as he remembered Aragorn growing up. Never before had Elrohir seen or cared for such a rambunctious child; especially one that certainly wore out his father from time to time. Who would have thought that child would grow into the man that Arwen would fall in love with?

Elrohir loved his sister and Aragorn deeply but he could never fathom their love. It was true; he had witnessed their intense connection many times. But he was quite baffled at how one of elven-kind could allow themselves to fall for a mortal. Truth be told, he knew that Arwen had dismissed the youthful Aragorn in the beginning for such reasons. Eventually, she succumbed to her feelings. In many ways, Elrohir was genuinely happy for them both. If Aragorn fulfills his destiny (of which Elrohir did not doubt) they would wed and finally be allowed true happiness with each other. Yet, he grieved at the thought of Arwen leaving their family and to never go to Valinor with them. Instead she would shackle herself to the _Edain_, grow old, and die. Her spirit would go wherever the spirits of _Edain _go and she would never reunite with them.

There were moments where he wished he and Elladan had never brought Aragorn and his mother to Imladris after the death of Arathorn. If only…

But that is selfish thinking.

Unlike his actions on behalf of the _Fëanturi_. His role in separating Elladan and Sofia was for a greater good. Perhaps he did not fully understand why they needed to separate but he did not doubt the _Valar_.

A little voice betrayed another feeling about his role in these events… For he surely did not want to lose Elladan as he would someday lose Arwen… He feared he would diminish at such an occurrence to lose his twin whom he had shared one _fëa _in their mother's womb… That persistent little voice said that while he liked to think his actions were only on behalf of a greater cause…Well, perhaps that was a false mindset.

Stepping over a fallen tree, Elrohir spotted his brother leaning, arms crossed, against an elm tree. His expression was stony; eyebrows drawn together in deep thought, lips stretched in a thin line, and even in the relative darkness under the trees he noticed that Elladan's gray eyes were still awash in negative emotion. A mixture of anger and sadness.

It saddened him to see his brother so. If he opened up their connection Elrohir knew he would feel those emotions roll off Elladan in waves. Since they were so closely linked by blood and, in the womb, _fëa _their connection was unparallel among elves who were not wed. Each of them could feel each other's emotions and could speak between minds if they desired. However, since the arrival of Sofia that connection had been strained between the two. In the beginning Elladan had desired to keep his burgeoning relationship with Sofia a secret and afterwards Elrohir was too upset with his brother's foolishness.

He disliked the impact that Sofia had on their relationship. These past couple months had seemed lengthy in many ways but Elrohir was far too stubborn to reconnect with Elladan when his brother was being such a fool. If he were to do such a thing, the action could be interpreted as passive approval of Sofia. Therefore, he would do no such thing.

But now, looking at his identical counterpart, his heart felt heavy with that loss. Elrohir loved his brother dearly and until now he had not realized how much he had missed him.

"Elladan," he greeted him.

"Elrohir." Elladan's tone was clipped and angry.

Hmm. A second ago he missed his brother. Now he wished to be away from him. But, this conversation would have to occur sooner or later. Sooner would be best.

Elrohir braced himself mentally. "You wished to speak to me?"

"Yes," he growled and straightened his back against the tree. "We have unfinished business."

"I daresay we do. How would you like to proceed?"

His eyebrows furrowed in an almost comical way. "You're sounding awfully level-headed, brother. Usually in our arguments you're more much abrasive."

Elrohir hid a smile but couldn't subdue his other impulse. "Do I? I had no idea this was supposed to be an argument, brother. Even so, I suppose at least one of us should sound level-headed and it appears that comes down to me today."

Elladan's lips pursed. "Hmm. It looks like I spoke too soon for here you now display your infamous charm."

Elrohir gave him a dazzling smile and bowed slightly at the waist. "I humbly thank you for such a kind compliment."

"Your charm will not save you from this conversation." Elladan stepped closer. "Just what on earth where you thinking when you agreed to help Dawn?" His brother practically vibrated with anger.

Holding his hands up in defense, Elrohir let out a sigh. "Elladan, Dawn had explained to me about Erik/Damian and the previous magicks her coven had attempted to free Erik. She confided in me because she needed to speak from someone of this world and someone who would not betray her confidences to Sofia. Dawn was very afraid of failing and getting Sofia's hopes up for nothing." Inwardly, Elrohir grimaced at his lying. He detested lying, especially to one her loved.

"Why did she choose you? If she needed an elf, why not me? Or Haldir? Or Grandmother herself?" Elladan's face was a mask of frustrated emotions.

Elrohir continued speaking in a soft tone. Hopefully, he would be able to get through to Elladan. "Why would she tell you that she was planning on bringing back Sofia's husband? Honestly Elladan, do you really think you would be a good confidant?"

"Yes," he shot back defiantly. Elrohir gave him a stern look. "Okay," he breathed. "Maybe not," he admitted in a softer tone.

"And Haldir is obviously too close to Sofia." He found it interesting that annoyance and then guilt flashed across his brother's eyes at the mention of Haldir's name. "As for Grandmother, who knows? But if I was a budding witch of Dawn's age I would likely be intimidated by someone of Grandmother's talent and skill."

"Okay, fine. So she chose you. Why did you help her? Why didn't you tell me?"

He threw his hands up in frustration. "Why did I help her? Are you serious, Elladan? Are you honestly this blinded by infatuation that you think an evil man should not be destroyed and a good man should lose his life forever?" Elrohir was angry; Elladan was never this selfish.

Biting his lip, Elladan's shoulders slunk. "No, no. Of course not. It was a tragedy that Damian tried stealing Erik's life forever. From what Sofia has said of him, I am sure he is a good person. I just…" he sighed. "But how could you refrain from telling me? Do you not think an act as life-impacting as this deserved no notice? Do you realize how-" Elladan let out a frustrated sigh. "Sofia and I were in the tent together about to…," a smile tugged on the corners of Elladan's lip, "embark on a new and much desired level of intimacy when all of a sudden," here he lost his smile, "her presumed dead husband comes back for her! If you had imparted the knowledge of Dawn's spell to us then we could have avoided an extremely awkward moment."

"You were about to…What?" Elrohir sputtered.

His lips stretched into a sheepish grin. "Yes, we were."

Elrohir scrunched up his face in aggravation. "Brother, are you positively mad?"

"What? We both are guilty of engaging in pleasures of the flesh with females both of elven and _Edain _descent. Why would you expect anything different in my relationship with Sofia?" Elladan looked puzzled and mildly defensive.

Oh Eru help him. His brother was more of a fool than he had thought. "Yes, if this was just a fling of some sort. But each day you grow closer and closer to this girl. By sharing flesh that connection will only deepen and it will be much harder on you both when this must end."

Elladan shook his head vehemently. "No, it will not."

Elrohir let out a frustrated sigh and silently counted to ten in dwarvish, which was a *_very_* long language. "Elladan," he began calmly. He knew he could keep his brother listening if only he could control his temper. "Thuringwethil escaped and I am under the assumption that our Slayer acquaintances will stay here until we can take care of that problem. After that, however; they shall return to their home dimension. It is obvious that Sofia is strongly tied to her world through her family and calling and you two will be separated."

"No," he held up a hand to take over the conversation. "I have already figured that out."

"How?" Elrohir asked, exasperated. His brother had many good traits but stubbornness was certainly not one of this at the moment.

Elladan smiled reassuringly. "Well, we will spilt our time between our dimensions-"

"WHAT?!" Did his brother honestly decide to leave Middle-Earth in its greatest time of need to play with his mortal in that United States of Wherever the Slayers were from?

"-and I asked Sofia to be my wife."

A beat passed as Elrohir's mind struggled to come to terms with Elladan's words. Instead of warm blood, it felt as if ice ran through his veins. A dull pain grew in his chest and he found it suddenly difficult to breathe. He closed his eyes and begged the Valar that the next question he proposed to Elladan would receive a 'no' answer. "If she becomes your wife, how do you two plan on resolving her issue of mortality?" '_Please say no, please say no, please say no_,' he begged silently.

Elladan was silent and appeared far too interested in staring at something in the distance. The silence that gulfed between the two brothers felt overwhelming and his heart beat erratically in trepidation.

"If Sofia accepts my proposal I shall choose the path of our ancestors Luthien and Elros."

Elrohir crumpled to the floor in shock and emotional agony. No! He was too late! His brother has already chosen the path least traveled! He felt a sob rising in his throat and he angrily pushed it away. He could not tell if it would be more satisfying to yell at Elladan or hit him.

Rising to his feet, he stared Elladan straight in the eye and opened up their connection. Elladan gasped as the full brunt of Elrohir's emotions of pain, sadness, and betrayal filled him to the hilt. As a tear slid down his right cheek, Elrohir felt grim satisfaction that a tear slid down his brother's left cheek. They appeared as mirror images facing each other in their internal torment.

"Are you really so eager to leave us, Elladan? To leave me? And Father? Are you so willing to allow our Mother to endure the pain at discovering that only one of her children will be meeting up with her in Valinor?" Elrohir realized bitterly that his words were similar to the first time he had warned Elladan of the negative impact that his relationship with Sofia would create. "Have you truly thought this through?" Elrohir practically screeched his final words. His calm demeanor be damned!

Instead of shouting back at him, Elladan pulled Elrohir into a tight embrace. Elrohir realized with a pang that there would be a day when he would not be able to hold his brother. He fervently wished that such a day would never come.

Elladan pulled him back and held Elrohir's shoulders. "Elrohir! Please! Please do not say such things."

"You would have me lie to you, Brother?" he said bitterly.

He shook his head. "I am in no way eager to leave you or Father or Mother. Please do not think that. In fact, I cannot imagine my life without you!" Elladan let out a deep breath and spoke softly. "But I cannot also imagine my life without Sofia. She is the one meant for me; I *_know_* it, Elrohir! I want to be with her in bad times and good, in youth and old age," Elladan spoke with conviction.

Pushing his arms off his shoulders, Elrohir scoffed. "Why? Why in all of Arda do you think this short, coarse, average-looking mortal is for you? How could this be?"

Something flashed in his brother's eyes and Elrohir thought he may have stepped too far with his last comment.

"You know, perhaps if you had spent time with us these last couple months instead of avoiding us like we were dwarves you would be allowed to comment on my feelings for Sofia. But since you have not and you have no idea who she really is nor any understanding about our relationship, you *_will_* keep your snide comments to yourself," Elladan growled.

Elrohir didn't know how to respond to that strong statement so instead he just nodded in acknowledgement. Elladan pivoted on his heel and began storming away. But he must have changed his mind because he paused and stalked back.

"Listen," he huffed. "I may be angry right now but this is not how I envision the rest of our lives carrying out. I know I may never get your blessing on this matter but I suppose I owe it to you to make you understand."

Elrohir winced internally. No, he did not want to understand this at all! Not only did he disapprove of it as a brother but he needed to stay against this pairing so the Valar would be pleased. '_Of course_,' he thought slyly, "_perhaps the key to breaking them up is to understand Elladan's true feelings for the girl_." He nodded curtly. "Fine then, tell me. Try to get me to understand,"

Elladan sat down cross-legged and gestured for him to do the same. "I am not sure where to begin." He breathed in deeply. "Although for the last few months I have greatly desired to talk to you about this, instead of just listening to you lecture me about my foolishness." His brother looked him straight in the eye. "I know you think I am crazy and foolish. Rest assured that I am sane enough to know that my actions are some I would have trouble understanding if this had occurred to another elf."

"Start at the beginning," Elrohir offered. "Why did you decide to pursue her in the first place?"

He laughed softly. "Well, you were there when we first found her. Here was a young girl covered in the black blood of a fell beast, wearing strange, tight leggings, with her torso barely covered with a scrap of cloth. I found her striking to behold."

Elrohir raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Ah, yes. Who wouldn't have love at first sight with a dirty, blood-soaked girl?"

"Quiet, brother!" Elladan laughed. "I am certainly not saying I wanted to bed her at that moment but she was striking. A Haradriam-looking girl who obviously had slayed a fell beast all on her own? She was quite stunning and I was intrigued. I wanted to know about her, where she was from, and how on earth she came to learn the art of battle."

"So your warrior side was fascinated by her?" He grinned impishly. "That had nothing to do with the fact that we had been traveling for several weeks without any sign of an attractive female?"

"Elrohir! I am *_attempting_* to be serious here!" He paused. "Well, perhaps that had a minor impact eventually." Elladan smirked roguishly and Elrohir laughed in return.

"After Gandalf returned her to us; correction: *_she* _returned Gandalf to *_us_*, I was further captivated by her. I was amused by her forthright attitude and thought it was quite fun to tease her. Oh, you should have seen how she blushed when I flirted with her!" He let out a burst of laughter. "It was rather cute how her face flushed at the thought of me kissing her cheek."

Elrohir noticed how Elladan's eyes had that faraway look of a man in love reminiscing about his darling. This may be dangerous territory but Elrohir was quite curious about why his brother would choose to give up everything for this strange mortal woman. He gestured for his brother to go on but he wished that Elladan would get that goofy grin off his face; he looked ridiculous.

'_Don't you think you look ridiculous when you are around Dawn?_' a little voice whispered in his head. '_Quiet_,' he hissed back. "Go on," he said out loud.

"From those two moments I was fascinated with her but it was at the next dinner that I got a glimpse into a different side of her. She was so adamant about her conscription to battle in her world that I was on one hand curious about her world further but I also saw a darkness in her. The darkness that each warrior who has seen too much death and hurt carries within them. I… I felt for her. She seemed to carry a great burden on her shoulders and something within me wanted to lighten that weight for her."

"Why?" Elrohir asked, confused.

Elladan shrugged. "Honestly? I did not realize it at the time but I think that was the first time my _fëa _connected to hers and truly saw her. A part of me wanted to lighten her burden in life because I think some part of me already fell in love with her."

Elrohir bit his lip to stifle an unkind remark. He was sorely tempted to say anything to make Elladan realize he and Sofia were not meant to be, but… Well, he had experienced such a thing before, long ago, and a part of him understood what his brother must have felt.

"Then when we talked," he shrugged and smiled. "It was an enjoyable banter and I gave into temptation and surprised her with a kiss. It was delightful. And delicious. She tasted of berries and earth. I could not wait to capture her in a kiss again. But instead," he began laughing, "she captured *_me_* in the creek!"

"Ah," Elrohir remembered. "When she thought you were an outsider and defeated you in battle?"

Elladan smirked. "Noble elf that I am, I allowed everyone to think that. In reality, we had an evenly matched fight until I threw her into the creek. I had to hold her against me to stop fighting so she would realize it was me and calm down. While that was necessary, it was also certainly pleasurable. In the heat of battle, both physical and verbal, I felt the fire of her passion and I longed to taste that heat." He smiled sheepishly. "Of course, it was a plus that she was only clad in her scanty undergarments."

"You rogue!" Elrohir exclaimed in mock outrage before he realized he should not encourage this. It was difficult to retain his uncaring demeanor when he and Elladan had discussed females so often. A conversation like this involuntarily brought back his typical reactions.

Holding up his hands in surrender, Elladan smiled innocently. "What can I say? I am only male." Regardless of his desire to not support this, Elrohir was compelled to join him in laughter. "And perhaps *_you_* may think she is average-looking, but I find her beautiful. Perhaps that is partly due to our deeper connection, but I do. I know that some may say no _adanith _could rival an _elleth _in beauty, alright perhaps I have even said that before, but I find her extremely lovely to behold."

"Because she is so different looking?"

"Hmm. Perhaps that is a part of it. She certainly does not look like any _elleth _or _adanith _I have ever seen before with her dark looks and I do find that difference to be attractive. But quite honestly, I can never tire of gazing into her brown eyes or running my hands through her curly tresses; and her body is certainly pleasant to hold and caress."

Elrohir rolled his eyes and gagged at his brother's level of infatuation. '_Except you were like that once_,' that damn persistent internal voice spoke again. Well, perchance he had been but the world had taken that away from him. Idly he wondered if his heartbreak as a youth contributed to his cynical outlook at Elladan's love life. Hmmm. That was certainly a thought he did not desire to ponder at the moment.

"All right, I understand where your infatuation came from," Elrohir spoke to both interrupt his own thoughts and Elladan's simpering recollections. "But what makes you sure she is the one for you? Why?"

"As I said, we connected somehow in those first few meetings. When she was captured by Mavlar I felt an unknown level of darkness descend upon me."

"Yes, I remember. I had an inkling you were attracted to the Slayer and was a bit worried at your dismal demeanor during that time."

"I had just gotten to know this girl and I felt something in me mourn our separation, even though logically I knew we barely knew each other. To think that she was killed or abused both instilled anger and fear in me. Then when we arrived in Lothlórien and I saw her in bed with Haldir-"

"You never told me this!"

Elladan shrugged. "I wanted to in a way, but I feared your negative reaction if you knew how deeply I felt for the girl." He rolled his eyes. "Not that I had to worry about that, of course."

Elrohir gave him a deadpan look and motioned for him to continue.

"I reacted poorly seeing that and of course I found out later it meant nothing. The amount of jealousy Sofia brings out in me is far more than I would like."

"You have always had a problem with jealously." They both knew what Elrohir meant; that as youths Elladan had disliked Elrohir's _meleth _because of how much time she took the one twin from the other.

"At times I fear it will be my downfall, I know. I know the after-effects of the emotion are always negative. I have been trying, although I admit I am not making much progress. One would think after a few millennia I would be able to subdue such a coarse part of me."

Elrohir cracked a smile. "Perhaps. But then again, Glorfindel has been around forever and he still proves to be one of the most arrogant elves around."

"True, but then again I doubt he has attempted to suppress that part of his personality." The twins laughed together at the valid statement.

"Still though, Sofia manages to evoke strong reactions from me. I dislike the poor paths that jealousy has taken me down but I just-" he shrugged. "Anyways, that moment of seeing her with Haldir had me angrier than I have been in a long time. I didn't even want to talk to her. When she dragged me off into the woods for the dancing lesson that our dear sister forced upon me I confronted her. And found out that we both felt for each other. Needless to say, the night was a very good one. I liked how she matched me in my anger and did not back down because of it. And trust me, we certainly connected well on a physical level. After that night I knew I would be fine if I never kissed another female again."

Elrohir could not hold back any longer. "But she is only a mortal! How could you fall for someone so young and short-lived?"

"It is partly for that very reason I love her!" Elladan's shouted back and he ran his hands in exasperation through his hair. "Elrohir we have spent the last five hundred years dedicated to avenging our mother in our travels with the Dunedain. Have you never envied them?"

"Envy? They are our distant kin and I love them but I do not envy their lives."

"Well, I have upon occasion. And with Sofia life is lived in the 'here and now'. Because life is so short it tastes so sweet. Each day is full of excitement and passion. She is a challenge and I love it. With her, I never know what to expect next."

Pursing his lips, Elrohir replied sagely. "It may taste sweet right now, but soon that taste will give way to the bitterness of old age, decay, and death. How many times have we seen the ones we care for give in to old age or illness?"

Elladan sighed. "I know. But still… I cannot help but appreciate life more when I am with Sofia because she is mortal. Her _fëa _speaks to me, can you not understand? I love her. I know you do not want me to and rest assured I would give anything to share my immortality with her so we would not have to face such a harsh choice."

"You both appear to have more than one choice in front of you now. Tell me, how does Erik fit into your plans?"

His brother eyed him sharply and grimaced. "While life certainly would have been easier without his presence I suppose somehow we will have to accommodate it."

"Accommodate him? Damn it, Elladan! You do realize that he and Sofia are husband and wife?" '_Aha. Perhaps this is my avenue towards severing Elladan and Sofia's connection_,' he thought.

"Well, yes, but-"

"But nothing. That is a sacred bond; you cannot be responsible for severing it."

"But I- We- You don't understand-" Elladan stammered.

"They are Man and Wife. It is not as if they were forced into their marriage. When they both got married they truly loved one another. By Mordor, by all the accounts that I have heard Sofia was severely depressed for a year because of Erik's supposed demise. Do you think you have a right to interfere?"

Elladan looked down at his hands and was silent. Elrohir waited with bated breath to hear some sign that he was getting through to his dense twin.

"I know you are partial to the question I am going to ask you, but I must ask it regardless because you have made me worried. Do you honestly believe that even though I love Sofia and I want to be with her until the end of the world that I should step aside all because Erik is back?" Elladan asked plaintively.

"Think of everything that poor man has gone through only to come back and find his wife with another male. Think of how much Sofia did love him. Think of all the hurdles life has put in the way of your future together: mortal and immortal, from two different worlds, both of you sacrificing your family and calling to be together. You may love her enough to marry her, but do you love her enough to let her go?"

Elrohir listened to Elladan's sharp intake of breath with grim satisfaction.

"I… I… Brother, it is as if you pulled my darkest fears out with that speech. I…" Elladan shook his head and continued in a melancholy tone. "I have much to think on. I thank you for your counsel." Elrohir reached out a hand tentatively to rub his brother's arm, but Elladan leaped up. "I'm sorry, but I need to be alone now."

Eying his worried face with a frown, Elrohir nodded. "Of course." Then he began walking back to camp, leaving his desolate brother alone.

What he had said was correct. And it was right for him to say it. He would not lose his brother as he would someday lose his sister! Their relationship would only cause grief to both of them eventually. Besides, the Fëanturi had commanded him and Dawn to lead those two apart for some greater good that he was not privileged enough to know.

Regardless, Elrohir rubbed his stomach gingerly to rid himself of the sharp pains of guilt.

* * *

**A/N:**

**To all my peoples who love Sweet Baby Jesus~ Merry Christmas! :D To everyone else, enjoy having work off ;)**

*****Keep giving me your suggestions for 2 Buffyverse people to send into ME! Thanks to MistofRainbows and Swordstress for offering the ideas of Buffy & Xander or Xander & Giles or Giles & Faith or Faith & Xander. Haha… I am already thinking of possible funnies with those guys.

*I hope you enjoyed this chapter to see some Elladan/Elrohir interaction time. I'm curious as to what you think will happen after Elrohir's little lecture :) I'm kind of in the process of organizing how the story will tie up so please bear with me if the next update takes a while. Haha… I realized while writing this that I am too much of a softie and that's why I'm having a hard time abusing my characters anymore re: Sofia/Elladan/Erik. So I'll need some time to write their story as properly as they deserve.

*****Starting with probably the next chapter we'll go back to Sofia's POV but I wanted to explore everyone else for a bit.

*So, when trying to think about how elves would discuss sex in their fancy elf-boy talk my mind kept going back to '_pleasures of the flesh' _and I owe that all to CuriouslyWomabt and her 'Return of the Key' series (simply superb, please check it out). So Wombat, thank you for improving my vocabulary lol :D

_**Vocablario**__:_

_Eru_- The One God of Arda (Middle-Earth)

_Edain_- race of men

_Fëa -_ soul

_Meleth_- love


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